<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Dream SMP Agere by El_legedlyMe</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29050101">Dream SMP Agere</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/El_legedlyMe/pseuds/El_legedlyMe'>El_legedlyMe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dream SMP - Fandom, mcyt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, M/M, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:42:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>103,113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29050101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/El_legedlyMe/pseuds/El_legedlyMe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just some agere one-shots about the Dream SMP members.<br/>Age regression is strictly a coping mechanism used to deal with stress in which someone regresses to the mental and emotional state of a child. There is nothing sexual about age regression, and it is a completely separate concept from DDLG/DDLB and ageplay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>212</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Introduction/Requests</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hello everyone! This is a one-shot book that focuses on age regression! Age regression is a coping mechanism in which someone regresses to the mental and emotional state of a child to deal with overwhelming emotions. There is NOTHING sexual about age regression, and I will not be writing anything that depicts such.</p>
<p>If any of the members of the SMP disclose being uncomfortable with this type of fanfiction, I will take down my book immediately. This book is just for fun, and I am only writing about the characters of the SMP, not the actual people. </p>
<p>With that being said, if you have any requests, please leave a comment here or send me a DM and I will write it as soon as I can!</p>
<p>Disclaimer: I am not actually a part of the age regression community. I do not regress myself, nor am I a caregiver. I absolutely try to do my research and adore the community greatly. If I get anything wrong in my writing or happen to write anything offensively, please let me know so I can correct it! This is meant to be a safe and happy space.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A King's Duty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Dream CG!George</p>
<p>After becoming King, George begins to notice small ticks his Knight has that are far from normal for him. After a rough night and a particularly nasty argument with Sapnap, George takes it upon himself to coax the unknowing little into a place of comfort and take care of his friend.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ever since becoming king and constantly being around Dream, George had begun to take notice of strange little quirks his guard had when he got overly stressed. They weren't bad things per se, but certainly strange if you paid close enough attention. Small things such as getting into petty, childlike arguments with Sapnap, refusing to eat anything but comfort foods or sweets and complaining when it was pointed out, or even refusing to leave his bundle of blankets, even if it was necessary.</p>
<p>None of these were particularly important things, but for the brave, strong, cunning man he knew his friend to be, George found the behavior concerning, and to make it worse, it seemed as though Dream wasn't even aware of his behavior when it was happening. After the second hour of fighting with Dream to eat his actual dinner and not just the cookies they had stashed in the castle, George found himself frustrated and giving up. He was concerned for his friend, and he would have asked Sapnap for help, but Sapnap was laughing at their argument in amusement, leading George to believe he didn't pick up on the subtle behavior changes either; and unsure of what else to do, George found himself talking with Quackity the next morning while Sapnap and Dream were trying to bother Tommy for something.</p>
<p>"Hello Mr. King," Quackity said with a cheeky grin as George approached him. "What can I do for you today?"</p>
<p>George let out a sigh, and the troubled expression the man wore caused the grin to fall from Quackity's face. "I need help, Big Q." George admitted, kicking the dirt beneath him weakly.</p>
<p>Quackity tilted his head slightly and took a seat under a nearby tree, watching as George followed suit and sat next to him. "Okay, this is serious," He noted. "What's up?"</p>
<p>"Well, it's Dream. He's been...behaving strangely. Like, at the end of the day he won't eat his dinners without a fight, and if he and Sapnap had a rough outing, he's always getting into stupid arguments with him. Like, the points he argues make no sense at all and just seem so childish. It just isn't like him, Alex. But he doesn't seem to notice he's doing it, so I haven't brought anything up to him." George vented softly, leaning his head back until it thudded against the trunk of the tree they sat beneath.</p>
<p>They sat in silence for a long moment. George began to wonder if he was stressing about nothing, Dream was his best friend. He had always told himself he would know when something was wrong, and right now, everything in him was screaming that something was off, he just couldn't figure out what. Yet, George was startled from his thoughts when Quackity decided to speak again.</p>
<p>"Is he an age regressor?" He questioned.</p>
<p>It was an innocent enough question, yet one that sent George's mind spiraling out of control. "An...an age regressor? You mean like Karl?" George questioned slowly, choosing his wording carefully.</p>
<p>Quackity lulled his head to look at George and gave a smile. "Yeah, exactly. I mean, everything you just explained, even you yourself described as childish. Besides, I know that I'm always fighting with Karl to put the sweets down and eat his food, or watching him argue with Tubbo over absolute nonsense; because even if it makes no sense to me, it makes perfect sense to him."</p>
<p>George felt his mind stall, and a flush of embarrassment rose to his face. How had he not put it all together sooner? After all the times he had watched over Karl for Quackity, the telltale signs of him being a little were right in front of him, yet he had failed to catch them. The obsession with blankets when he was stressed, his love for sweets, his ability to fall asleep anywhere. George let out a soft groan and rubbed his face.</p>
<p>"How did I not see this sooner?" He whined, earning a laugh from Quackity.</p>
<p>"It happens to the best of us, George. Besides, regressing is probably the last thing I would have assumed from Dream too." Quackity quipped back supportively.</p>
<p>"But he doesn't know, Quackity. How am I supposed to talk about him about it when he doesn't even realize it's happening?" George questioned with a frown.</p>
<p>Quackity paused in thought at this. Earning a little's trust was the most important part of being a caregiver but Dream not being aware of his regression may prove to be challenging. "Next time he does it, regress without noticing I mean, baby him," Quackity suggested simply. "See if he slips further and if he's receptive to it. If he is, talk to him about it when he's big again. If not, he'll stop you then and there."</p>
<p>George let out a small exhale and gave a warm smile. "Right. Thank you, Alex." He said as he stood.</p>
<p>"Let me know how it goes! Karl needs a new friend!" Quackity responded with a grin.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>It was late that night by the time Sapnap and Dream got back to the castle. George wasn't amused by how late it was at their return but was even less amused by how loud their entrance was. Unsurprisingly, the two were fighting with each other, though what about, George had no idea.</p>
<p>"It would have been fine if you hadn't involved Tubbo, dumbass." Sapnap barked at him, his glare more lethal than in any argument George had seen the boys have.</p>
<p>"You coulda done something instead!" Dream snapped back, though George didn't miss the way Dream refused to make eye contact with the shorter male.</p>
<p>"You're the one that told me to stay out of the way! What the fuck are you talking about?" Sapnap asked in aggravation, though Dream didn't seem to have a response to this. Instead, the boy merely mumbled something about needing to go to his room, earning a scoff from the younger as they walked away from each other.</p>
<p>George found himself frowning and without much more hesitation followed Dream off to his room. There was a hesitation as George knocked, though he wasn't very surprised when he was met with a muttered out, "Go away."</p>
<p>With a small sigh, George opened the door regardless and peered in, eying the boy bundled under the blankets in worry. Small tuffs of golden blonde hair peeked from under the blankets, but there were so many blankets piled on top of the boy that George couldn't make out the outline of his body.</p>
<p>"Clay?" George asked softly, watching the pile of blankets shift in response before a pair of bright green eyes peered out from under the blankets at him.</p>
<p>"Told you to go away." Clay mumbled, but there was no conviction behind his words.</p>
<p>George gave a small smile and closed the door behind him before he made his way to the bed, carefully sitting next to the younger. "You and Sapnap seemed pretty upset earlier," George spoke softly, afraid that if he spoke too loudly, he would frighten the boy. "You want to tell me about it, bub?"</p>
<p>George watched as Dream's eyes fluttered lightly in response to the nickname, the boy hesitantly gazing up at him. "I messed up with Tommy," He murmured, his words slightly slurred together. "N' I told him I was gonna hurt, Tubbo."</p>
<p>George frowned as he watched tears spring into Dream's eyes. Dream never cried, and the sight was far more heartbreaking than George was prepared for. "I wasn't really!" Dream whined out. "Jus' wanted to scare him! But...but he hurt Sappy cause' he was closer and now Sappy hates me!" Dream choked out through tears, a small hiccup escaping him as he clutched the blankets tightly.</p>
<p>George gave a deep frown and moved the blankets from Dream, despite the heavy protest given from the younger. Leaning back comfortably in the bed, George gently pulled Dream against him, pulling the blankets over both of them. Dream clutched onto George and let out soft sobs. Gently running his fingers through the blonde locks and rubbing his back, George remained quiet until Dream had calmed and was more receptive, not wanting to overwhelm the poor boy.</p>
<p>"Dream, baby, Sapnap doesn't hate you, he's just a little upset, just like you," George whispered softly in comfort. "And I promise that by tomorrow, all you'll have to do is say sorry and you'll be best buddies again."</p>
<p>Glancing down, George saw green orbs peering at him again with a child-like hope. "Chu really think?" Dream had stuttered out.</p>
<p>George gave a warm smile and nodded. "I know so."</p>
<p>And of course, George was correct. And though the conversation between the three of them about Dream's regression was awkward at first, they were quick to fall into a happy routine of George caring for Dream, and Sapnap acting like the little's big brother.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chasing Dreams Away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Techno</p>
<p>Techno knew Tommy was struggling to cope with the trauma Dream left with him, and though Tommy typically regressed alone, the little chose to seek comfort in his big brother after a particularly scary nightmare.</p>
<p>Warning: Manipulation, a bit of angst, nightmares (all very mild)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Techno had never been the best at comforting people. In fact, Techno had never been the best with people in general. Emotions were something just a bit too complicated for the piglin to comprehend, yet the day he found Tommy stumbling towards his cabin with nearly frostbitten fingers and cherry red cheeks, Techno discovered that just maybe, he had a soft spot for his little brother. </p>
<p>Getting into a routine dynamic for the two of them was challenging. Things had obviously changed since Tommy's exile, and Techno couldn't figure out why. Tommy was no longer the loud, brash boy he had always been. Instead, Techno was left with the quiet shell of a boy who always seemed sad and distant, almost as if disconnected from the rest of the world. Tommy refused to talk about why he was always in such a foul mood. His blue eyes would dull and gloss over with tears that refused to spill over and the conversation would be shut down, leaving Techno to only ponder what the boy had been through. </p>
<p>It wasn't until one day when Techno had been trying to brew potions and being rather unsuccessful due to Tommy constantly distracting him, that a knock rang out through his house. Techno froze and frowned. He hadn't been expecting guests and very few people knew where his cabin was actually located. Apparently, his lack of response was enough to irk inpatients from the man outside, because just moments later, another knock had been heard and this time, a voice followed. </p>
<p>"Techno, I need to talk to you. This is urgent."</p>
<p>The look of absolute panic that spread across Tommy's face at the sound of Dream's voice was more than enough to give Techno an idea of what had happened to Tommy in exile. Silence consumed Tommy in a way Techno thought was impossible, and everything in him screamed to help his baby brother. He had told Dream to give him a moment, that he was in the middle of something, before ushering the young boy into his bedroom; somewhere he knew Dream wouldn't try to invade. Moments later, he had the door open to come face to face with a white porcelain mask, smile unwavering.</p>
<p>The Netherite sword in Techno's hand shook in his tight grip as Dream stood, his confidence unwavering. "Ah, Techno. What took you so long?" Dream questioned, his eyes scanning his house as if looking for something specific.</p>
<p>"I was brewing, Dream. I apologize for not wanting my house to burn down in your presence." The man muttered out.</p>
<p>"Ah, right. Well, I've come to inform you that Tommy has escaped exile," Dream continued, and Techno could feel his heart rate picking up by the second. "You haven't seen the kid, have you?" Dream queried, small black eyes staring into Techno's soul unforgivingly.</p>
<p>But Techno pulled through. He would do anything to protect the boy he took under his wing. "Not at all. But if I do, you can I assure I'll be bringing him to you personally." </p>
<p>Seemingly satisfied, Dream turned and left on his merry way. Techno stood and watched, making sure the man had truly left before making his way back to Tommy. Though upon entering his room, instead of finding Tommy waiting for him as he expected, he found Tommy cowering in the far corner of his room. Tears were running from his shiny blue eyes in hot streaks, his body shaking in fear and for once, Techno just stopped to stare. Tommy, Big T, the big bad hero that was bound to save the day had never seemed so...small before. Choking on a hiccup, Tommy's gaze shifted to Techno, and nothing but a soft word was mumbled past his lips.</p>
<p>"Techie..?"</p>
<p>And that was how Techno discovered his brother's regression. </p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Tommy had never been very open about his regression. In fact, he was absolutely mortified the next day when he and Techno had to sit down to talk about it. But despite Tommy not wanting to let Techno take care of him the way he so clearly needed, Techno was still never anything short of supportive and loving, and that was more than Tommy could ever ask from his big brother. And even though Techno wanted to help care for Tommy in a way Tommy wouldn't let him, Tommy had finally opened up and shared what Dream had put him through. From stripping him of his materials and blowing them up, to making others believe he was the bad guy. Despite wanting to behead Dream and any given chance, Techno was was content, and honestly overjoyed that Tommy finally trusted him enough to tell him what he had been through, and Tommy felt better-knowing someone believed he was actually a good guy. </p>
<p>And it wasn't like Techno never got to care for his brother. There were times where Techno would come home early and find Tommy regressed. They would sit together and play, and it would eventually lead Tommy to slip young enough that he was no longer capable of caring for himself. And Techno never minded, really. In fact, he secretly loved when Tommy would let him take care of him, not that he'd ever outright admit that to anyone, though. </p>
<p>It had been a night where both boys fell asleep a little later than usual. Techno had been up late killing Endermen, and Tommy had decided to help with Techno's potato farm. Techno knew he hadn't been asleep long. Tommy had been asleep for quite a bit longer than he had, and if he had to guess, he'd say it had only been about an hour and a half since he had fallen asleep before he was woken up once more. </p>
<p>With a slightly annoyed huff, Techno sat up and slid on his glasses, tucking a loose piece of strawberry pink hair behind his ear, one that had fallen loose from his braid. He had to squint his eyes in order for them to adjust to the dim lighting, but as he did, he quickly realized his door was being opened. His mind went on high alert, and he was ready to engage in whatever fight was to come. But before he could grab the axe that leaned against his bedside, a soft voice broke through the darkness, startling Techno more than he cared to admit.</p>
<p>"Techie?" Tommy's soft voice rasped out, sounding very much as though he had been recently crying.</p>
<p>Techno's panic was almost instantly flooded over by worry. A small frown etching over his lips as he sat up properly in his bed. "Tommy? What is it bub? Everything okay?" He asked almost hesitantly, afraid that if he spoke too suddenly the boy might break again.</p>
<p>The room was silent for a long few minutes, Techno couldn't even tell if Tommy was still there. But after a few more moments, he heard quiet footsteps approaching, and Tommy was suddenly crawling into bed next to Techno. Techno sat uncomfortably, panic rising in his chest. He had never been the best at comforting people, much-less people in the mindset of children. He didn't want to upset Tommy, goodness that was the last thing he wanted to do. Staring at Tommy for a short few moments, Techno uncertainly wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, slowly relaxing when Tommy curled into his side instead of pulling away.</p>
<p>Techno's head was swimming. He was something was wrong, Tommy was upset, he certainly had to be. Four months they had lived together, and three of them he had known about Tommy's regression, yet this was the first time Tommy had ever willingly come to Techno himself while regressed. So what was bothering the little so much?</p>
<p>"Hey, Toms, what's up? Something happen?" Techno questioned after a few minutes of silence, hoping the younger had settled enough to talk.</p>
<p>Techno felt Tommy shift around in his grasp, his face had now been completely buried in his side, but a few soft mumbles of words came from the boy after a few moments. "Bad dream. Tubbo don' love me. Stuffs bein' blown up. Wilby's dead." </p>
<p>Techno felt his heart tighten. Tommy, poor Tommy had gone through so much. Too much, and Techno simply wanted to make sure he never had to go through that again. With a gentle hand, Techno carded his fingers through soft blonde curls. </p>
<p>"How old are you right now, Toms?" Techno murmured softly. </p>
<p>"Little. Really little." Tommy said in a whisper.</p>
<p>For a moment, Techno debated on getting him some better gear. Perhaps a paci and a bottle of milk to make the night easier, but based on how tightly Tommy was gripping onto him, Techno had a strong suspicion moving wasn't going to be the easiest thing to do. </p>
<p>"Do you want to sleep with me tonight, little one?" Techno asked softly, though merely got a nod in response. </p>
<p>Techno knew better than to take it personally. Tommy was little and tired, not to mention upset. Techno knew that sometimes he slipped past being verbal, and he didn't mind, so he didn't try to hold a conversation. Instead, Techno merely held the boy close. His fingers played with soft blonde hair, whilst his other hand drew random patterns along the younger's back. Soft snores soon filled the room, and Techno smiled with content.</p>
<p>Slipping his glasses off and settling into the bed, Techno let out a small sigh. Smiling at the boy in his arms, Techno pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before closing his eyes. </p>
<p>"I've got you Theseus. You're safe now."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Take a Nap, Sap</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Sapnap CG!Dream</p><p>Sapnap finds himself unable to sleep after moving in with Dream and involuntarily regresses. Now left with a very tired and very cranky little, Dream finds himself tasked with the duty of getting Sapnap to calm down and take a nap.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sapnap hadn't been sleeping all that well. Of course, he had been enthralled when he had finally moved in with his long time friend, Dream, but Sapnap had never done extraordinarily well with change, and his sleep schedule was thrown off because of it. And of course, the lack of sleep did little to help with holding off his regression. It wasn't that he didn't trust Dream, deep down he knew his friend would accept him and be supportive, but there was always that surface anxiety that told him his weird form of coping would drive his friend away and land him on a plane back to Texas. So, he hid his habits and forced himself to stay big.</p><p>This perhaps wasn't his best plan. He had been stuck in limbo, an uncomfortable fuzzy space between staying big and slipping for the last week or so, and it was beginning to get to him. He knew he desperately needed to regress. It would just be easier to push his anxiety aside and get some much-needed rest that way. However, the sudden storm that had hit Florida kept both Dream and Sapnap stuck inside, meaning the chances of Sapnap having any time alone was very unlikely. </p><p>So now Sapnap sat on the couch bundled beneath a blanket while Dream finished streaming with George. He had been invited to join them, but the idea of having to be energetic or happy in any sort of way just sounded draining and miserable at the moment, and so he had declined the invitation. Sapnap's eyes burned as he stared blankly at the TV before him. He wasn't entirely sure what was playing, he had zoned out long ago and lost all attention for it. The only thing he could focus on was the soft fuzzy feeling swarming his brain. He could feel himself slipping, despite his desperation not to. Trapped beneath a soft fuzzy blanket he had no desire of escaping and left in a quiet room on a comfortable couch, his mind decided to take initiative and use the perfect scenario to force Sapnap into his little space, leaving the boy feeling groggy and rather lonely. </p><p>Sapnap wasn't sure how long he sat there. He had begun dozing, somewhere stuck between being asleep and wanting to stay awake. He didn't hear the sudden silence in the house, nor did he hear Dream walking into the living room. His mind didn't process the small noise of confusion that his friend let out upon seeing Sapnap curled under a blanket, the tip of his thumb tucked between his lips as he nodded off. In fact, he only realized Dream was there when he felt the couch dip next to him and the soft voice of his friend call his name. </p><p>"Nick? You alright?"</p><p>Sapnap lifted his head, pulling his lips from his thumb as he looked at his friend with bleary eyes. His hair had been tousled from being tucked under the blankets, and dark brown eyes had lightened with a glazed-over look. </p><p>"Dream?" Sapnap muttered, his voice a bit squeakier than usual, and his words slightly slurred. </p><p>Dream's expression softened, giving the disheveled boy a smile. "Hey Sap. You feelin' okay?" He asked, his voice never moving from the soft tone he used initially. </p><p>Sapnap gave a small nod, a yawn soon following. "Jus' sleepy,"  Was the only response Dream got.</p><p>They sat in silence for a few moments. Sapnap had begun nodding off again but was pulled from his sleepy state when Dream spoke again. "How old are you feeling, Sap?" He questioned, eyeing the younger boy next to him.</p><p>An embarrassed flush rose to Sapnap's cheeks, a soft tint of pink covering from his ears to his neck. "M'three." He stated in a voice just above a whisper, the instant tiredness having seemingly been wiped away with the question.</p><p>Yet, Dream didn't seem too bothered. "A little boy like you must be pretty tired, hm? Especially since you haven't been sleeping too well. How about we get you down for a nap, yeah?" Dream asked with a smile, not expecting the bratty whine he got in response to the suggestion. </p><p>"No! Don't wanna sleep! Wanna play an-and cuddle." Sapnap retorted, a small, tired glare being shot in Dream's direction.</p><p>Dream merely raised an eyebrow at the behavior and sighed. "Sap, we can cuddle while you nap, and I promise we'll play after you get some sleep. But you need a nap." Dream said softly, though there was a firmness in his voice that proved he didn't want to argue about it. However, Sapnap wasn't having any of it.</p><p>"No! Play now, sleep later. You're bein' a meanie." He said with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest. </p><p>Dream sighed and ran his fingers through Sapnap's hair, smoothing out some of the pieces sticking up in random places. "Where is your little stuff, Sappy? Can you show me?" </p><p>Sapnap seemed to perk up and the implications of getting to have his toys though didn't seem thrilled at the idea of having to get up in general. Regardless, the boy got up and stumbled his way into his bedroom, dragging a small box from under his bed as Dream watched from behind expectantly. Sapnap popped the lid off, and almost instantly turned to face him, clutching a medium-sized stuffed Panda close to his chest. </p><p>"This Bamboo! But he likes to be called Mr. Boo." Sapnap said promptly, a small grin on his face. </p><p>Dream chuckled and knelt down, gently shaking the stuffed Panda's paw. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Boo." Dream said, smiling at the happy giggle he got from Sapnap. Dream turned his gaze to the younger and gave a smile. "Okay Sap, I need you to do something for me," He stated, reaching into the box and grabbing a bright orange sippy cup from it. "I'm going to go get a drink for you. While I'm gone, I need you to get into some pajamas for me, okay?"</p><p>Sapnap's smile instantly turned to a frown. "No! No sleep!" He whined again. </p><p>Dream shook his head and gave a smile. "I never said you were going to sleep. But getting changed now means you can be comfy while playing, AND you won't have to change when you're super sleepy after playing." He coaxed softly, eventually getting a nod in agreement from the younger. </p><p>After coming to their agreement, Dream left Sapnap's room and made his way to the kitchen. He grabbed the milk from the fridge and poured some into the sippy cup before heating it in the microwave. He wasn't certain if Sapnap had ever had Angel Milk before, after all, it didn't really seem like the boy had ever had a caregiver before, but Dream couldn't truly assume anything. </p><p>After adding the sugar and vanilla, Dream checked to make sure the temperature would be okay before making his way back to Sapnap's room. The boy had, surprisingly enough, actually changed into a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie that Dream vaguely remembered letting Sapnap barrow, but looking at him now, the boy looked very adorable in a sweatshirt a few sizes too big. </p><p>Sapnap's head quickly turned to Dream, and the boy reached out for the drink the older held. Dream gave a smile and handed it over, sitting in a nearby chair. "It's angel milk, Sap. You ever tried it before?" He questioned, watching as the little looked at the sippy cup skeptically.</p><p>"Nu-uh. What is it?" He mumbled, his words slurring together in his confusion. </p><p>"It's just warm milk, sugar, and vanilla. It's super tasty, I promise." Dream assured, watching as the boy hesitantly sipped it before relaxing and drinking it contently. </p><p>Dream said nothing as Sapnap went back to the coloring book he had been working on prior to him coming in. The focus on the smaller boy's face was cute, to say the least. His hair was still ruffled out of place, and when he was drinking from his sippy cup, his tongue was poking out of his mouth just slightly in concentration, desperate to stay in the lines. He laid on his stomach, Mr. Boo tucked between his arms contently as he made his way through the page. After a few moments of silence, Sapnap sat up happily and held the coloring page up to Dream.</p><p>"I made it for you!" He chirped out, cheeks flushing at the admission. </p><p>Dream smiled and scanned over messily colored in page of a panda and a koala, and felt his heart swell. "It's adorable, Sappy. I'll have to hang it on the fridge." </p><p>Sapnap let out a happy little giggle before hesitantly clambering into Dream's lap. Dream wasn't all that bothered. In fact, he was rather used to cuddling the younger. Sapnap was a physically affectionate friend, demanding Dream's attention at all times, even when he wasn't in little space, but he never really minded. </p><p>A small yawn made its way past the younger's lips as he hid his face in Dream's neck, causing the older to smile. Sapnap was only just then beginning to realize how much more tired the milk made him feel, and while he wanted to be angry at Dream for tricking him, he couldn't find it in himself. His friend was clever, and always found a way to outplay him. He supposed he now understood why Dream had him get changed before drinking the milk anyways. </p><p>"Feeling sleepy?" Dream asked, earning a small nod in response. Dream bit his lip for a moment before speaking softly. "Feeling smaller, Sappy?" He questioned, once again earning nothing more than a nod in response. </p><p>Dream smiled and stood, lifting the younger in his arms. He bent down and grabbed the pacifier from the box that had been hidden beneath a few toys before settling into the bed with Sapnap, the younger curling into his side. </p><p>Dream watched as the boy brought his thumb to his lips, and gently swatted his hand down, earning an unpleased whimper. Dream just shook his head and held the pacifier to Sapnap's lips, a simple white one with a small flame design in the center. Very fitting for his friend. "No thumb, little one. Use this." He murmured, watching as the little quickly took the paci between his lips.</p><p>Things were quick to settle, and Sapnap was quick to fall asleep, finally getting the rest he very desperately needed after nearly a month with a very inconsistent sleep schedule. Dream found himself dozing as well. He knew when Sapnap woke with a clear head, things would be tense. Dream would want to know why Sapnap hid his regression from him, and Sapnap would want to know how Dream knew what regression was and what to do for him. But Dream shrugged it off, for the time being, knowing it was something they would deal with in the morning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Get Down, Mr. President</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Schlatt CG!Fundy</p><p>Schlatt needed a break from being president. It was painfully stressful, after all, but after a run-in with Wilbur that forces him to drop, he had never been more thankful for a particular fox being in the right place at the right time.</p><p>Warnings: Abusive/Violent Wilbur, forced regression, swearing, mentions of alcoholism</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was a request I got on my Wattpad account (El-legedlyMe). Also, I wrote this at like, two in the morning, so I apologize if it isn't the best. Insomnia will do that. I also don't watch Fundy very often and only recently began watching Schlatt, so I do apologize if I didn't quite capture their characters here.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Schlatt wasn't entirely certain why he decided to challenge Wilbur during the presidential campaign. Another one of his drunken and impulsive decisions, something he did in desperation to prove how powerful he could be. Schlatt let out a sigh as he walked along the backsides of Manberg. Impulsive decisions. That was a bad habit Schlatt was trying to kick. After all, Schlatt absolutely hated being president. It was too much work. Too much long, boring work. Schlatt missed his days of being able to regress freely and not have to rely on alcohol to cope with stress.</p><p>Schlatt internally laughed. Regressing. That was something he hadn't thought about in weeks and something he hadn't let himself actually do in months. Schlatt was a tough guy. He wouldn't dare risk letting someone see him so weak or vulnerable, healthiness be damned. Schlatt let out a quiet huff as he kicked a rock, watching it skip along with the dirt before him. His fingers twitched, his desire to drink his worries away becoming overwhelming, but he had run out of alcohol and didn't feel like going to find more. </p><p>The woods were quiet, and Schlatt had wandered deep enough to have left the borders of Manberg. Not that he would know; Schlatt rarely left his office, to begin with. After all, there was no need to. He simply had to tell Quackity or Tubbo what to do and he could trust it would be taken care of. Schlatt was too far in thought to notice the rapid approaching footsteps, but it was the sudden sharpness of a sword being pressed between his shoulder blades, that abruptly brought him back to reality, a small gasp of shock leaving his lips as he stopped walking. </p><p>"Bold of you to show your face out of Manberg, Schlatt." The voice of Wilbur hissed out from behind him, the older slowly moving around so he now stood in front of Schlatt, though the tip of the sword was now pressed into his throat, making the younger terrified to move.</p><p>"I didn't realize I had left Manberg," Schlatt said in honesty, though his voice came out far meeker than he would have ever wanted it to be, especially while facing someone like Wilbur. </p><p>"Oh right. Because the almighty President who never leaves his pedestal would just wander into the woods without reason, right?" Wilbur seethed, his almost black eyes burning into Schlatt, making him feel small and uncomfortable.</p><p>Schlatt swallowed thickly, feeling the sword nick his throat as his adam's apple bobbed against it. He could feel fear trickle down his spine, striking him like a bunch of pins and needles. Schlatt couldn't feel his legs. He felt as though he was going to collapse at any moment, and he mentally swore at himself. What was wrong with him? This wasn't him. He was Schlatt. President of Manberg. Cocky, boisterous, narcissistic, anything but quiet and scared. </p><p>Wilbur seemed amused. A confident smirk creeping across his face as he leaned in closer to Schlatt, cooing to him in a taunting tone, "Aw, what's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Wilbur question before letting out a small cackle. "You look absolutely pathetic right now. If only your little country could see you." </p><p>Schlatt's head was foggy. He felt dizzy, his head swarmed with emptiness, and his body overwhelmed with a desire to cry. This wasn't right. He felt so scared. He felt scared and confused, and small. Small. Schlatt let out a whimper, his eyes growing big. He refused. Now was not the time to be slipping. It was probably the worst time he could imagine slipping, and the look on Wilbur's face told him he was correct.</p><p>The smirk grew into a grin, one of arrogance and vanity. "Oh, isn't this, cute? What're you gonna do Schlatt? Are you going to cry? Go ahead, cry like the goddamn baby you are! Show the world how weak of a president you are, why don't you?" Wilbur jeered, lightly jabbing the sword against his throat, digging it into the slight cut that was already present.</p><p>And he did. Schlatt found himself unable to stop the tears before they began. He didn't understand what was happening or why. He was scared of Wilbur, and sharp pain from the sword nicking him didn't help either. Schlatt knew he was about to die. He felt vulnerable and had no way of defending himself. Wilbur let out an amused cackle and threw his head back.</p><p>"Oh, this is rich. This is a sight I will never forget, let me tell you, Schlatt. You couldn't have given me a better sight to kill you too!" Wilbur cheered, and suddenly, the entire edge of the sword was against his throat. </p><p>Tears came harder and Schlatt found it hard to breathe. One swift motion was all it would take and Schlatt's life would be gone. Schlatt clenched his eyes shut, but could still feel Wilbur's intense gaze on him. Schlatt could feel Wilbur's weight shift, the balance of the sword shifting to prepare for the cut, but Schlatt felt stuck. He had nowhere to run.</p><p>"Goodbye, Schlatt." Wilbur cooed out, but before the sword could move, a calm voice broke through the woods causing Wilbur's movement's to freeze. </p><p>"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Wilbur." </p><p>Wilbur's eyes snapped up, his black eyes meeting the gaze of soft brown ones. Schlatt's eyes slowly peeled open. He saw nothing but furry on Wilbur's face. A silence fell upon the three. The tension was so thick it was nearly suffocating until the same voice broke the silence again.</p><p>"If you kill him, you will be hunted down and killed yourself. He is the president of Manberg after all. Besides, you'd be killing him on SMP grounds, and surely you don't want Dream on your case as well...right?" </p><p>Wilbur's grip tightened on the sword, knuckles turning white and his hand began to shake until he suddenly yanked the sword away and stepped away from Schlatt, pointing it at the person behind him. "You need to shut the fuck up, Fundy! You...you traitor! You're supposed to be my son! You're supposed to be on my side, but you're here helping him?" Wilbur sneered.</p><p>Schlatt felt himself collapse to the ground now that the pressure of the sword was taken away. He scrambled away from Wilbur and pressed himself against a tree, hugging his knees to his chest tightly. Fundy calmly shuffled forward, his body now standing in front of Schlatt, blocking him from any harm Wilbur could do. </p><p>"You lost the right right to call me your son a long time ago, Wilbur," Fundy said simply, one of his fox ears twitching in mild annoyance.</p><p>Wilbur threw his head back and laughed, despite his clear anger. His hands flew up, tightly gripping at his dark brown curls as he continued laughing. "You always say that, you ungrateful mutt!" Wilbur sneered, the sudden change in demeanor causing Schlatt to flinch.</p><p>Fundy simply stared at Wilbur, his expression unwavering. "I think you should leave now." The statement was so simple yet so bold, it left Schlatt in shock that Fundy would challenge Wilbur in such a way.</p><p>Wilbur let out an exasperated scream and glared at Schlatt from over Fundy's shoulder, his sword slowly pointing back in his direction. "I'll be back for you, Schlatt. And next time you won't walk out alive." </p><p>Schlatt watched with wide eyes as Wilbur stormed away, his attention only shifting when Fundy turned and kneeled in front of him. "You okay, Schlatt?" Fundy questioned, a worried frown etching across his face.</p><p>Schlatt sniffled and aggressively wiped the tears from his eyes, shaking his head quietly. Fundy hummed softly and looked over him. "Want me to walk back to your office with you? Just to make sure you get back safe?"</p><p>The whimper that left Schlatt's lips was peculiar, to say the least. In fact, the entire situation was strange. When Fundy heard Wilbur on another rant while walking through the forest, the last thing the poor fox had expected to see was Wilbur about to kill Schlatt, and Schlatt not fighting back. Fundy knew something was wrong. Schlatt didn't cry, he didn't show weakness. Schlatt was arrogant and confident, someone who never knew when to back down. The whimpering and crying left Fundy confused, understandably; however, that didn't mean he wasn't willing to try to help anyway. </p><p>"No. Don' wanna go back there. Don' wanna see people and do more works." He whined slightly, moving his hand from his eyes to look at Fundy again.</p><p>Fundy's eyebrows furrowed as he tilted his head slightly. "Then what do you want to do?" </p><p>Schlatt frowned in thought before picking at the hem of his shirt. "I wanna nap, n'play, an-and cuddle." He murmured, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment at the admission, which Fundy found oddly adorable, his tail flicking in a bit in joy.</p><p>"Okay, well," Fundy spoke, pursing his lips. "Do you want to come back to my house for a while?"</p><p>Schlatt seemed to perk up at the idea, the two little ram ears on each side of his horns twitching up a bit as he nodded eagerly. Fundy smiled as he stood, waiting for the other man to stand as well, but Schlatt never did. Instead, Schlatt's arms shyly crept out towards Fundy, fingers wiggling a bit in anticipation as he waited for the older man's response.</p><p>Fundy stared for a long moment before speaking, a small amount of hesitance in his voice. "You want me to carry you?'</p><p>Schlatt gave a small nod, grinning a bit when the fox lifted him into his arms. Fundy shifted the man a bit, making sure he was holding him comfortably before beginning to walk home. "Hey, Schlatt?" He asked softly, earning a small hum in response as Schlatt laid his head on Fundy's shoulder. "Are you feeling..different? Like, young?" Fundy asked, poorly attempting to voice his confusion on the man's behavior.</p><p>But to his surprise, Schlatt gave a hum in agreement. "M'feeling small." He murmured, his eyes fluttering shut to the soft rocking of Fundy's walking. </p><p>The walk back to Fundy's house was peaceful, and at some point, the little had fallen asleep against Fundy. It wasn't like he particularly minded, Schlatt had been through a lot, and Fundy believed sleep was probably the best thing for the man. Fundy was gentle, laying the little on his bed and tucking him into the blankets. Fundy was sure to get a damp cloth, carefully cleaning away the blood, that had now dried, on the man's neck from where the sword dug in. Setting the cloth aside, Fundy sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. He would talk to Schlatt about what happened when he felt like himself again, but for now, he had every intention of just taking care of little. And even though he wasn't really sure what was happening, he was trying; and that was all Schlatt could have truly hoped for.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Tea, Please!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo and Tommy CG!Techno, Wilbur, and Philza</p><p>Techno finds himself having to take care of Tommy and Tubbo alone while Wilbur and Philza go out for the day. This leads to the boys dragging their begrudging brother into a tea party that Techno discovers he may not hate as much as he thought.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Techno was unsure as to how he got into this situation. Wilbur and Philza had always been so good with Tommy and Tubbo while Techno preferred to support from afar. It wasn't that Techno didn't love his little brothers, far from it actually, he adored them; Techno had never been good with kids, though. So now Techno sat on his bed with his two little brothers who had somehow regressed while Wilbur and Phil were out, absolutely mortified as they began dressing him up for their tea party. </p><p>"Gonna make your hair look so pretty," Tubbo murmured from next to the older, tongue poking out of his mouth in concentration as he carefully weaved white flowers together into a flower crown. </p><p>Techno's eyes darted to Tommy from behind his gold-rimmed glasses, the young boy digging through Techno's closet in an attempt to find an 'appropriate outfit' because according to Tommy, his usual monarch style clothing was too intimidating for their stuffies.</p><p>"This?" Tommy asked for what felt like the millionth time, pulling out a large pink sweater that absolutely belonged to Wilbur and had 'somehow' made its way into Techno's closet.</p><p>"No, Tommy. I don't want to change." Techno repeated, only to earn a frustrated whine from the little. </p><p>"Too scary lookin' Techie! Need ta' change!" Tommy insisted, crossing his arms in a pout. </p><p>Techno sighed softly and ran a hand through his long pink hair, mentally cursing Tommy for being so stubborn. "Fine. What if I take off my cape and my sword?" Techno offered, unclasping his velvety red cape and letting it pool behind him before slipping his sword and sheath off of his hip, carefully laying it next to his bed. </p><p>Tommy took a long moment to look Techno over. The man was now left in a simple white button-up shirt and his usual black dress pants. The fact that Techno was wearing his glasses also helped him look more casual and less intimidating, as it was a look that only his family really got to see. </p><p>"Okay! But Tubbo gets to braid your hair." Tommy said matter-of-factly, earning a sigh from Techno and a grin from the young boy sitting next to him. </p><p>"Yay!" Tubbo had cheered softly, setting the now complete flower crown to the side and getting to work on braiding Techno's waving pink hair. They sat for a while, Tubbo occasionally messing up and having to start over, but after about fifteen minutes, Tubbo had done a decent job braiding Techno's hair, and finished it off by setting the white flower crown on top of his head, giving a happy clap. </p><p>"So pretty, isn't he Toms?" Tubbo asked happily, earning a satisfied not from Tommy.</p><p>"Now we gotta go! We're gonna be late to the tea party!" Tommy declared, dragging Techno up and stumbling out of his room.</p><p>Techno had to hold back a snort as he followed the eager boys out of the room. He simply didn't understand how they could be late to an event that wasn't real, but he knew better than to voice that opinion. After all, if it made the littles happy, he was content to play along until Philza and Wilbur got back to save him. </p><p>When they made it to the living room, Techno smiled in amusement when he saw that the littles had set up their two favorite stuffed animals around the coffee table, a play tea party set was set up in the middle of the table. </p><p>"Techie! Come sit between Henry and Bumble!" Tubbo said excitedly, moving the stuffed bee and stuffed cow slightly to make room for his brother.</p><p>Techno smiled to himself and made his way over, seating himself between the two stuffed animals. The two littles blabbered about 'gossip' around the SMP, occasionally dragging Techno in for his opinion as well. Techno found himself beginning to relax with his two brothers, and though he rarely gave his input, when they asked, he would often respond with something short but silly, something good enough to make his brothers break out in a burst of giggles, or occasionally start a playful argument with Tommy. Arguments which he'd always let the younger win. </p><p>They had been around the table for a while. The sun was beginning to set, but none of the boys had the desire to do anything else. Techno had made sure to get the boys snacks, knowing if he didn't they wouldn't have remembered to ask themselves. Techno wasn't entirely sure how Tommy and Tubbo ended up bickering about the best way to get 'blood for the blood god' but Techno found it more than amusing. Small minds spewing out petty arguments such as,</p><p>"No, cows have more blood than chickens. So that would give more blood, Tommy."</p><p>"But the chicken farm is bigger, so we would have more chickens! Besides, I would never hurt a Henry, Tubbo!"</p><p>Techno hadn't even heard the front door open, an amused smile tugging at his lips as he listened to his bothers argue aimlessly, the topics changing every few sentences until they didn't even remember why they were fighting. It was the small coo that came from the other side of the room that caused Techno's gaze to snap over to Phil and Wilbur who were standing by the door, watching the three with bright smiles.</p><p>"Aw, Techno! You look so adorable!" Wilbur cooed, his voice just slightly teasing as he eyed the flower crown and poorly done braid. </p><p>A bright flush washed over Techno's face as he looked away, clearing his throat in obvious embarrassment. "Shut up, Wilbur."</p><p>Tommy and Tubbo looked over to Wilbur and Phil, happy squeals exiting their lips. "Dad, Wilby! Come join our tea party!" Tommy requested with a grin. </p><p>Wilbur instantly dashed to the two littles sitting between them and bringing them into tight hugs. "You make a crown for me too, little one?" Wilbur cooed to Tubbo, smiling in delight at the giggle he gained in response. Tubbo gave a nod, running to his room before returning just a moment later, carefully placing an orange flower crown on Wilbur's fluffy hair. Wilbur let out a happy gasp and beamed. "It's beautiful! Thank you so much, Tubbo!"</p><p>Whining from the lack of attention, Tommy climbed into Wilbur's lap and sat down promptly, clutching Henry close to his chest. Wilbur let out a warm laugh and embraced Tommy, holding the boy close. "Hi, bub. Have a good day with Techno?" Wilbur asked curiously, earning a small nod in response. "Oh yeah? Tell me about it." Wilbur said with a grin, fully intended on teasing the pink-haired man about it later.</p><p>Not wanting to interrupt Tommy and Wilbur, Tubbo curled up against Philza, who had sat next to Techno. Despite wanting to cuddle up to his older brother, Tubbo knew Techno wasn't fond of physical affection, and he was just happy Techno was still there now that Wilbur had Philza had come back home. </p><p>Phil wrapped an arm around Tubbo and gave Techno a warm smile. "Thank you for watching them, Techno. You know you could have called, right?" </p><p>Techno paused, before nodding, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "Yeah, but they aren't so bad," He admitted. "I mean, I may not be good with kids like Wil is, but I guess they're pretty okay."</p><p>Phil just found himself smiling. Techno had never been the best with expressing emotion but just knowing he was trying spoke a thousand words, and he knew the others believed it too. "Do you want to help me put Tubbo to bed? He seems to be getting pretty tired, but I think he's trying to be stubborn and stay awake." Phil offered softly, a silent invitation for Techno to end his day with the boys on a good note. </p><p>Techno hesitated, staying silent for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, okay. I think I can do that." </p><p>And the joy that lit up across Tubbo's face was enough to let Techno know he made the right decision.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Old Habits Die Hard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Dream</p><p>Tommy hasn't been able to regress as often as he'd like to since his exile. So when Dream comes to visit while the boy is finally regressed and Tommy can't force himself to be big, he does the next big thing and attempts to hide his little space from Dream.</p><p>Warnings: Manipulative CG, involuntary regression, panic attack</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This book just passed three hundred hits. That's poggers, thanks, everyone!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stress had been overwhelming Tommy since the day of his exile. He felt as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders and everyone was out to get him. Even his own friend had turned against him and cast him away as if he were nothing more than the dirt beneath his feet. Tommy's mind was foggy. He wanted to be small and run around carelessly while Wilbur watched him and pretend the world didn't exist. Of course, he couldn't do that though. He wouldn't do that. Wilbur was dead now, and as comforting as Ghostbur tried to be, Tommy couldn't find it in himself to trust the flaky ghost enough to watch him while regressed. </p><p>It's not like he remembers taking care of me anyways. I was never a happy memory for him, was I?</p><p>Tommy felt the fog grow thicker but refused to give in. Survival was more important than being a baby. He couldn't survive as a baby, all it would take was one visit from Dream while regressed and Tommy knew he'd likely be dead. It's not like he had any of his little gear anyways. It had all been blown up with L'manburg, and anything that survived the survival was stuck in a chest in a place he was no longer allowed. So Tommy refused to let himself give in. He had more important things to worry about.</p><p>But with each day that passed, the mobs became harder to fight, food became harder to find every time Dream blew up his supplies, and Tommy could feel himself giving up. He hardly had the strength to hold his measly stone sword, and his clothes had large tears in them, making it more and more difficult to find sleep as night time came and the warmth of the day left. Ghostbur would try to cheer the young boy up with doses of blue but found himself becoming worried when Tommy began ignoring the ghost's efforts of comfort entirely. </p><p>Ghostbur found himself talking to Dream one afternoon. The man hadn't visited Tommy in a day or so, but Dream didn't seem all that concerned about it. Ghostbur found the conversation innocent. After all, Dream was Tommy's friend! Surely he would help the younger feel better.</p><p>"I'm worried about Tommy, Dream," Ghostbur said after long moments of silence between them, a piece of blue being fiddled between his fingers. </p><p>Dream, however, seemed as though he didn't care in the slightest for what the ghost had to say. However, he decided to indulge in the conversation. "Why's that, Ghostbur?"</p><p>"Well, he never smiles anymore, have you noticed that, Dream? He just seems so sad. And, and he won't talk to me anymore. Plus, he's ignoring my blue now. He just seems so...out of it. Sometimes I wonder if he can even hear me." Ghostbur rambled, not noticing that he had actually caught the masked man's interest.</p><p>"Looks like I'll have to visit him tomorrow. See if I can't cheer him up." Dream mused, glancing at the sky to see the sun was beginning to set. </p><p>A bright grin came across Ghostbur's face as he clapped his hands together once. "Oh yes! I knew you would want to help! Tell me if he is okay, thank you, Dream." Ghostbur cheered before floating off elsewhere.</p><p>When Tommy woke the next morning, the last thing he expected was to wake feeling little. Rubbing his bleary eyes, Tommy peeked outside of his tent to make sure he was alone before crawling out, being greeted by the warm feeling of the sun. Tommy stumbled onto his feet before making his way to Logstedshire. Tommy knew he likely shouldn't be letting himself feel so small, but it was the first time he had woken up in weeks and felt good. He couldn't help himself but indulge, even if it was just for a few hours. </p><p>After digging through a few chests, Tommy plucked an apple before plopping himself down and leaning against the wall. He was sure Ghostbur wouldn't mind him eating some of his food, it wasn't like the ghost could actually eat anyways, right? Without much more thought, the little began nibbling away at the apple, savoring the sweetness that he hadn't tasted in what felt like years. Tommy had only made it halfway through his apple before he felt eyes on him. He assumed it was just Ghostbur coming to try and cheer him up again, but when he peered up, his gaze was met with a white porcelain mask that had his heart dropping to his stomach. </p><p>Tommy's instinct was to panic. Maybe cry and scream, but what good would that do him? He was big! He had to be big, right? Surely he couldn't be little in front of Dream. Dream wouldn't miss the opportunity to take advantage and just kill him,  right? Tommy felt his throat clench with unspilt tears. Frustration swarmed his mind as he tried to pull himself together. Now was not the time to feel small, but desperation had finally set in, and he found he was unable to force himself big, leaving little Tommy to try and pretend he was big. Surely he could do it, right?</p><p>Dream stared at the boy before him silently in confusion. Tommy hadn't spoken. No swears, or loud spouts of anger had come directed at Dream yet, which was quite out of character for the younger. Perhaps Ghostbur was right about something being wrong with Tommy, but now wasn't the time to stop and care about the boy. </p><p>"Tommy?" Dream questioned, staring the younger boy down.</p><p>"What?" Tommy uttered back, a small bit of annoyance laced in the response, hiding the frustration and fear the little felt. </p><p>"What're you doing? You know I don't like being ignored, don't you?" He mused a bit, watching as the boy's hands began to shake. </p><p>Tommy felt his throat tighten. He had done badly? He was trying to be good, but Dream speaking to him like that always meant punishment. He didn't want to be punished. Tommy could feel himself shaking at the sudden added pressure of the conversation. His anxiety was high, too high. Big Tommy would never show his emotions like this, so he couldn't either.</p><p>"I wasn't ignoring you. Jus' waiting for you to talk first." He excused poorly, a small frown now etched on his face. </p><p>Dream's eyes narrowed on Tommy, and silently, he motioned for the younger to stand. It took a moment for him to so, but he watched as Tommy carefully set the apple aside and stumbled to his feet, clearly lacking more coordination than usual, but Dream shrugged it off as him not sleeping enough. </p><p>"You know the drill, Tommy. Throw your stuff in the hole." Dream stated, nodding to the hole he had dug before into Logstedshire to find Tommy. </p><p>Tommy swallowed thickly, his hand trembling as he obediently tugged off his leather cap and emptied his pockets of the few items he had managed to gather in the last few days. Dream looked at him skeptically, partially for not putting up any sort of fight, but clearly also not believing that was all the boy had. </p><p>Tommy looked away from Dream's harsh gaze, trying to hide how he was slowly beginning to struggle to breathe. "It's all I have, promise. Don' have the energy to get more." He muttered.</p><p>Dream stared at the boy for a moment longer before giving a shrug and tossing a piece of TNT into the hole, lighting it with a flint and steel before stepping back. Tommy watched silently as the TNT blew his stuff up, flinching at the loud noise it made. This time, he was unable to stop the tears from falling as he crumbled down to his knees, his body shaking as all of his senses became overwhelmed by the current situation. </p><p>Slowly, tears turned to sobs, and the trembles turned to quakes as the little brought his hands to his ears and clenched his eyes shut, a poor attempt at blocking out the situation as a whole. Dream watch the boy fall apart with pursed lips. This wasn't Tommy. The Tommy he knew wouldn't dare to show a sign of weakness to anyone, especially Dream. Yet here he was, having what Dream quickly figured out was a panic attack. A small pang of guilt struck him in his chest. Part of him was tempted to just walk away, pretend he didn't see anything. But the side of him that coaxed George and Sapnap through their countless panic attacks and knew how bad they could get when left alone took priority, leading to the older kneeling in front of Tommy and speaking in a voice softer than he had ever used towards the boy.</p><p>"Tommy, breath." He said softly but watched as the boy peeked his eyes open and flinched away from him. </p><p>He was scared of him. Of course, he was. Dream shook his head and slipped his mask off and set it to the side. He gently set a hand on Tommy's knee and watched the boy gaze up at him. "Tommy, breath with me. In, 2, 3, 4. Hold, 2, 3, 4, 5. Out, 2, 3, 4." He said softly, watching as Tommy attempted to match his breathing to Dream's counts. "Good boy. Do it again." Dream murmured, slowly counting the boy through his breathing until he had finally calmed down.</p><p>Tommy rubbed the remaining tears from his eyes and gazed quietly at Dream, fighting the urge to climb into the older's lap and cling to him as if his life depended on it. His mind was spinning. Dream wasn't supposed to be nice to him, was he? No, of course not. He was supposed to be making fun of him and calling him a child for acting so irrational. But Dream had always said he was Tommy's friend. Had he been pushing Dream away for nothing? Was Dream truly Tommy's friend? Tubbo and Wilbur always helped Tommy through his panic attacks, and they were his friends, so did that mean Dream actually cared about him? </p><p>A frustrated whine escaped the younger's mouth, catching Dream off guard. These thoughts were too complicated for Tommy's regressed brain, and having someone there with him was only causing him to regress further. He didn't want to think anymore. Dream stared at the boy before him. Tommy's eyes seemed glazed over, but brighter than they had in weeks. Dream watched as Tommy curled in on himself, the boy appearing smaller than he already did. Dream had seen this before with George, the older occasionally regressing to deal with the drama that never stopped in the SMP. However, Dream would have never thought in a million years that Tommy would be a little as well. </p><p>Dream gave a small hum and looked the older over. "Tommy, bud, how old are you feeling right now?" Dream questioned causing the other boy's gaze to snap up to him, gaining his immediate attention. "Don't worry Tommy. I take care of George. I already visit you every day, I could take care of you too. If you want, of course, but it seems like you may need it. After all, being out here all alone doesn't really seem like good conditions for being small." Dream said with a casual shrug, though he was aware he was giving Tommy an offer the little wouldn't say no to.</p><p>Tommy stared at Dream for a long moment in disbelief. The younger stumbled over his words for several moments before peering at Dream with wide eyes. "Mean it?" He murmured out, his small mind not noticing the malicious glint in the older's eyes. </p><p>"I promise, Tommy." He assured, falling back with a grunt as the younger lunged at him, clinging onto him like a koala. Dream hummed happily and wrapped his arms around the little, pulling him into his lap. "Now, hold old are you Tommy?"</p><p>Tommy murmured something incoherently into Dream's chest before holding up two fingers, practically purring in joy at the hand that made its way into his hair. Dream's lips twitched up into a smirk as he held the boy against him. Neither moved for a long time, both basking in the new development of their relationship; and while both were content with their situation, it was for very different reasons.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Sweet Dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Dream CG!Sam</p><p>Prison is stressful. Left alone with few visitors and harsh living conditions, it's easy to understand why Dream began regressing more often than before. And he had never been so grateful that his caregiver was also his main guard.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was a request from my Wattpad account (El-legedlyMe). Don't forget to leave requests if you have any!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The prison was far lonelier than Dream had expected it to be. Of course, he knew he was going to be cut off from his friends, and he knew his visitation rights would be restricted, but what he didn't expect was for Tommy to be the only person that visited him. He had at least expected George and Sapnap to want to see him at least once, right? Or was he truly enough of a monster that he finally drove his last two friends away for good? Dream felt himself frowning as he curled up against the wall. Maybe driving them away wasn't such a bad thing. After all, without his friends, there was nothing anyone could use against him, and that's what he wanted, wasn't it?</p><p>Dream rubbed his face tiredly. Sleep hadn't been coming to him very easily recently. Despite the comforting warmth the wall of lava in front of him radiated, the small bundle of blankets and pillows in the middle of the room serving as his makeshift bed did little to bring the man comfort when he tried to sleep. Dream stifled a yawn, messy blonde hair falling in front of his eyes as he hugged his knees to his chest. Bad had visited for the first time earlier that day, and though the interaction had been awkward, he left with the promise of talking to George and Sapnap about visiting. Though Dream was doubtful the men would actually come, he couldn't help but feel somewhat hopeful at just the idea of getting to talk to his friends again. </p><p>Dream's mind felt wired. No matter how badly he wanted to sleep, he simply felt bored and energetic. The small obsidian room gave him little to do to release his energy. He had been told to work out, but his lanky limbs mixed with the size of the room gave him little to work with and left Dream often getting frustrated and giving up. He thought back to how Sam and Bad both told him to try writing more, but Dream didn't have it in him. He wasn't creative enough and all too often found himself staring at blank pages of the empty journals. </p><p>Sam visited Dream more than anyone. Well, Dream could hardly call them visits, they were more like necessary check-ins to bring him food and make sure he was taken care of, but Sam always found a way to make it feel more personal than that. He would sit with Dream through his meals and talk, he would let Dream ramble about his frustrations and fears, sometimes offering the boy advice, and sometimes just offering silent comfort. Dream rubbed his eyes, a thick fog beginning swarm his mind, making the boy feel fuzzy and small. It was a feeling Dream was familiar with, one he didn't really try to push away anymore. It was a feeling that now brought him comfort and peace, something he so desperately needed at a time like this.</p><p>Stumbling to his feet, Dream took his clock off the wall, he fiddled with the arms before lazily chucking it into the lava, listening to it sizzle, his silent way of calling for his caregiver to come. Dream plopped himself down on his mass of blankets and waited patiently for Sam to arrive. Sam was well aware of Dream's regression. In fact, he was the only person on the SMP that knew about it. It was a mistake, quite honestly. He hadn't meant to find the boy regressed and trying to steal cookies from his house. They had planned to have a meeting about building the prison that day, but Sam hadn't been too bothered. He had taken it upon himself to take care of the younger after that day, so when Tommy had Dream pinned in a box ready to kill him, of course, Sam was quick to jump at the idea of locking him in the prison instead. No one had to know Sam's reasoning for wanting to be the primary guard to watch after the man and no one had to know the reason for Sam wanting to keep Dream alive. So long as Tommy believed keeping him locked up like Dream kept him exiled was the best form of payback, then they were fine.</p><p>Sam watched Dream perk as he made his way into the prison cell, the younger peering up at him with wide green eyes. Sam stepped into the cell and promptly hung a new clock on the wall before offering Dream a warm smile. "How are you feeling, little one?" </p><p>Dream hummed, slumping back against the wall and hugging a pillow to his chest. "Small," He murmured into the pillow, stifling a yawn. "Tired." </p><p>Sam gave a slight nod and moved to sit next to Dream. "Yeah? Are you having trouble sleeping again?"</p><p>Dream gave a hum, curling into Sam's side as he clutched the pillow. Sam gave a nod and ran soft blonde hair through his fingers. "Do you want me to stay with you while you get some sleep? Nobody should be coming to the prison anytime soon." Sam offered softly, smiling at the small noise of joy that came from Dream at the suggestion. </p><p>Sam gently shifted the boy so he was laying down, gently resting his head in his lap. Dream dropped the pillow, curling in on Sam. His slender arms wrapped around Sam's torso as he nuzzled his face against Sam's stomach. One of Sam's hands gently smoothed down Dream's back as the other found its way back into messy blonde hair. A calm silence fell over the room. It was these moments that Dream claimed as his favorite. Not that he would ever admit that to Sam while he was big, but he basked in the positive attention he received from Sam while feeling so small.</p><p>Sam was one of, possibly the only person left, that saw past Dream's flaws. The only person that saw the man behind the porcelain mask and gave him a chance to be something other than just the villain. Sam was gentle with him. Dream had never thought of himself as a difficult little; in fact, he more often than not just wanted the attention and approval of Sam, the idea of disappointing his caregiver making his stomach churn, and the good behavior never went unnoticed by Sam. Sam would watch over the younger and feed into his imagination, helping him create the most outlandish games when he found himself at a loss for something else to do. And sometimes, when Dream was really good, Sam would sneak items into the cell for a day. Sometimes small things such as a stuffed animal or a pacifier, but occasionally, Sam would bring him in a bottle of something sweet such as angel milk or apple juice. </p><p>Yet, despite all the amazing things his caregiver would do, Dream always found himself adoring the moments where Sam would just hold him, allowing Dream to revel in the gentle touches and silent affection Sam to look at him with anything but disgust, let alone have an actual soft spot for him, but it was something he tried not to think too hard about. Especially as Sam made life in prison so much better than he knew it would be otherwise. And as Dream began drifting to sleep, his ears didn't fail to pick up on the soft words his caregiver spoke, allowing his body to finally fall into the state of relaxation it had been so desperate for, for so long. </p><p>"Sweet dreams, Clay."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Marco! Polo!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo CG!Wilbur</p><p>Tubbo is staying with Wilbur while his parents are away and there was no better way to celebrate than to have a little party! But in order to do that, Wilbur has to go shopping for snacks. However, leaving a teenager alone in a grocery store while stuck between headspaces may not have been Wilbur's best move.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tubbo was practically vibrating next to Wilbur as they made their way into the grocery store. his parents had to go on some sort of business trip, truthfully Tubbo hadn't paid much attention to the details after they told him he was allowed to spend the week with Wilbur so long as the older agreed. But to be fair, how could he? He got to spend an entire week with one of his best friends! His mind had been whirling with ideas of what they could do since he had been told the information, and from the moment he actually arrived at Wilbur's house, he had been wound and ready to go. </p><p>Wilbur had expressed wanting to celebrate their week together but insisted they needed to go to the store. Tubbo didn't understand why, he was quite content to just order pizza and watch stupid shows all night. However, after convincing Tubbo that snacks and drinks were a necessity, he managed to gather the boy into the car and usher him into the store. </p><p>Tubbo felt thrilled. His head was foggy, and he knew he was stuck in a tedious place between headspaces, but he wasn't quite ready to slip, not yet. He at least wanted a little bit of time with Wilbur before making the man feel as though he had to take care of him, and despite having an entire week to hang out, Tubbo knew he'd still feel guilty if he slipped so early in their trip. So he shoved it down and stayed at Wilbur's side as he led him down countless aisles in the store. They had gathered soda, crisps, sweets, and more, and Tubbo was beginning to get restless. </p><p>"Wilbur, can't we go now?" Tubbo whined slightly as Wilbur led him down yet another aisle on the opposite side of the store. </p><p>Wilbur let out a small huff and ran his hand through the front of his hair, being careful not to push his beanie off. "One more thing, okay Tubbo? Then we can go, I promise." </p><p>Tubbo gave a small nod, trailing behind Wilbur, but slowing to a stop when he saw a small bee plushy on the shelf. He knew it was childish, but it was adorable! Tubbo simply couldn't help himself from reaching out and snatching the stuffie to show to Wilbur. However, when he turned back to where Wilbur had once been, he found that the older was no longer there. Tubbo swallowed and scanned around slowly, clutching the plush close to him. Wilbur was nowhere in sight, and Tubbo had no idea where he was. He could feel himself slipping ever so slowly, tears pricking his soft brown eyes as panic set in. </p><p>"Wilby?" Tubbo whispered out, slowly beginning to shuffle out of the aisle and began wandering around the store. </p><p>Everything felt so big as the boy dragged his feet along the tile floor. Everything seemed so loud as his panicked eyes looked around for the caregiver he so desperately desired being next to at that moment. Tubbo simply felt small. He could feel people giving him strange looks, though he tried his best to ignore him. Tubbo dipped his head down and just kept moving.</p><p>His hearing was becoming muffled, too much was happening at once, and the sudden hand grabbing onto his shoulder caused him to break down completely. A small, shocked sob escaped his lips as he whipped around to face whoever grabbed him, but felt nothing other than instant relief wash over him when he saw the soft but worried face of Wilbur. A soft whine of joy escaped the little's mouth as he flung an arm around Wilbur's neck, clutching onto him as though he would disappear otherwise. Wilbur frowned and hugged the smaller back, pulling him close to his chest. </p><p>Wilbur didn't miss subtle signs of the boy's regression. Big teary eyes, shuffling feet, lack of eye contact. For some, Tubbo might just appear to be a shy teenage boy, but the signs were practically screaming at Wilbur that his friend had regressed at the worst time.</p><p>"Are you okay, little one? What happened?" Wilbur murmured soothingly into the boy's ear.</p><p>Tubbo pulled back slightly and sniffled, glancing up at Wilbur, traces of guilt etched over his expression. "I was walkin' wif you, but saw a bee an' wanted to show you, n'then I turned back around n'you was gone." He mumbled slightly, using the free hand to hold up the plush bee, showing Wilbur the item that caused this mess to begin with.</p><p>Wilbur's expression softened into a soft smile as he brushed Tubbo's hair from his face. "Baby, don't look so sad, okay? I should have noticed you stopped walking, it's not your fault." He assured softly, eyes soaking up the small traces of guilt and shame that lingered on his expression.</p><p>"Promise?" The boy whispered out, shifting his gaze back up to look Wilbur in the eyes.</p><p>"I promise!" Wilbur said with a small grin. "Now, how about we go check out so we can get home and have a movie marathon? I'll even buy the stuffie for you." Wilbur cooed happily, finger jutting out to lightly boop the antenna, earning a small giggle from the little.</p><p>"You means that?" Tubbo questioned with bright eyes, having seemingly forgotten about the entire situation. </p><p>"Absolutely! I'll even let you have an extra cookie or two," Wilbur said with a grin, giving a playful wink. </p><p>Tubbo burst out into a fit of giggles, happily clapping his hands as Wilbur stood, holding the boy on one hip, and support him with his free arm. Tubbo would admit that regressing in the middle of the grocery store was not the most ideal for him, but he was beyond happy that Wilbur wasn't upset about having to take care of him so soon. In fact, Wilbur almost seemed happy to take care of him. Tubbo supposed that was one of the reasons he loved his brother so much and had been so excited in the first place to spend the week with him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Three-ring Circus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Quackity CG!Sapnap, Karl, and Tubbo</p><p>Slipping around the wrong people can be scary, especially when they don't know about age regression. When Quackity slips in front of Karl and Sapnap on accident, panic ensues. Luckily, a certain bee-loving boy is able to step in and knows exactly what to do.</p><p>Warnings: Slight panic attack</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a request from my Wattpad account (El-legedlyMe), please don't forget to leave your own requests here if there is something you'd like me to write!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quackity always did love getting to spend time with Sapnap and Karl, even if his friends were technically supposed to be his enemy. Working under Schlatt hadn't been all he had hoped it'd be. Sure, it gave him bragging rights against Wilbur, which was all he truly wanted to begin with, but Schlatt had become cruel, harsh against Quackity and Tubbo, and it led to Quackity often feeling weak and small. Quackity had been regressing far more often under Schlatt's rule. Sometimes the stress just got to him like that, but luckily for him, Tubbo was always there for him. The young boy was clever, always coming up with some form of an excuse to get the little away from Schlatt and take care of him, and in return, Quackity kept quiet about Tubbo's affiliations to Wilbur and Tommy. </p><p>Quackity knew it was going to be a rough day. He had woken up with a headache and was almost instantly greeted with a slightly tipsy and aggravated Schlatt. The man was anything but quiet and by the time he got out of his meeting with the president, his head was practically throbbing. However, the excitement of knowing he was going to meet with his friends today kept him pushing through the pain. Walking through the small tunnel Tubbo had built underground, Quackity continued past the turn that led to Pogtopia and walked up the makeshift staircase leading to the outskirts of the SMP. Quackity paused for a moment, listening for any indications that he might get caught before pushing the trapdoor up and poking his head out, a small squeak escaping him as he came face to face with a pair of bright brown eyes. </p><p>The familiar laughter of Sapnap and Karl filled his ears as Sapnap's face moved back, leaving Quackity to flush and bite back a smile. "That was mean, Sapnap." Quackity scolded, but graciously accepted a hand from each friend as they helped pull him from the small pit. </p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about. That was hilarious." Sapnap mused, dropping Quackity's hand once the man was steady. </p><p>Quackity huffed and brushed himself off, rolling his eyes. "Of course it was." He mumbled, finally letting the smile break past his lips. </p><p>Karl let out an infection laugh as he weaseled his way between the boys, slinging his arms around their shoulders. "What do we want to do, boys? There's a little pier on the beach we can sit at together." He suggested perkily, only to be shot down by Sapnap sarcastically.</p><p>"I dunno, Karl. Seems kinda gay." The shorter retorted, earning a side glance from Quackity.</p><p>"You're kinda gay, Sapnap. Makes it kinda perfect, don't you think?" The shortest of the three mused, earning amused laughs from the other two as Karl began to lead the way. </p><p>Quackity wasn't entirely sure what it was about the beach, but it was making his mind feel fuzzy, something Quackity was not hoping to deal with during his hang out. Perhaps it was the bright sunlight making his headache worse, or the way the sand made him want to run around and splash in the water freely, but Quackity felt like his head was swimming. All it would take is one small tick and Quackity was certain he would slip. He just had to be sure to avoid such a thing. </p><p>The day had been going decently. They had kicked their shoes off and stood near the edge of the shore, allowing the tide to roll in and cool their feet with chilled water. Quackity had managed to hold off the fuzziness, keeping himself conscious enough to be actively aware of how he was responding and behaving, though the constant attention to his own behavior was exhausting him, and seemed as though it was making his head feel heavier. </p><p>"Hey! We should make sandcastles!" Karl exclaimed with a giddy grin, almost instantly earning a nod in agreement from Sapnap.</p><p>Quackity swallowed worriedly. He knew that indulging in something as childish as building sandcastles was a dangerous line to walk, but Karl looked so excited, and who was he to say no to that? "Um, yeah, sure," Quackity responded with a smile, giving a casual shrug.</p><p>The three boys quickly rushed back into the sand, all fighting to see who could make the better castle, which Sapnap of course claimed would be him. They worked quietly and diligently, all of them losing track of time. However, Quackity seemed to have lost track of himself, and at one point or another, the fuzziness slipped away and was replaced with a feeling of warmth and peace. That, however, didn't last very long as he heard Karl's voice calling his name. Looking up, Quackity realized that he had no longer been building his castle and instead and just began drawing pictures in the sand. </p><p>"Alex, dude, you okay?" Sapnap asked with a small frown. </p><p>Quackity's eyes darted between Karl and Sapnap who were both staring at him. Realization began to set in as he fully came to realize just how small he felt. Shying away from prying eyes, Quackity curled in on himself, scooting away from the men in front of him. He stumbled pointlessly over his words, unintelligible babbles left his lips as tears pricked his eyes. </p><p>"Alex..?" Karl murmured unsurely, hesitantly scooting closer, only to be rejected by Quackity flinching back. </p><p>"No, no! Wan' Tubbo. Need Tubbo..." Quackity whined out, nibbling lightly on the tip of his thumb as he hugged his knees tightly. </p><p>Karl and Sapnap exchanged frenzied looks, confusion making them uncertain of what to do. </p><p>"Go! Go get Tubbo, Sap. I'll stay here with him." Karl suggested, watching as the night scrambled to his feet and ran back towards the tunnels. </p><p>Minutes felt like hours as the little clutched onto himself, slowly rocking himself in an attempt to soothe his nerves. Quackity hardly noticed  Karl's presence there. He only noticed the soft voice of Tubbo calling out to him as he and Sapnap approached, a small bag clutched in his hands. Quackity let out a soft whine, almost instantly uncurling himself as Tubbo kneeled in front of him. A small smile graced the teen's lips as he set the bag down, gently brushing Quackity's hair from his face. </p><p>"Hey, big guy. You're okay, I'm here now, yeah?" The brit murmured softly, watching as the little leaned desperately into his touch, giving a small nod. </p><p>"Head hurts, Tubbo. I want cuddles." Quackity said softly, trying his best to keep his two friends from hearing, though not doing a very good job. </p><p>"Okay. I can do that." Tubbo assured as he sat next to Quackity, letting the little curl up in his lap as he held him close. The little brought his thumb to his mouth, signaling his distress to his caregiver. Tubbo tsked softly and swatted his hand away, earning a soft whimper. Tubbo gave a smile reached into the small bag he had set next to him, retrieving a black and blue pacifier. "Use this, baby. You know you shouldn't suck on your thumb." Tubbo soothed softly, watching the boy take the soother into his mouth.</p><p>Minutes passed as the four sat in silence. Tubbo, gently rocking Quackity who had by now calmed down in the teen's arms, and Sapnap and Karl, who felt just as confused and hesitant about the situation as they had when it first happened. Sapnap was the one to break the silence, asking the question that sat on both his and Karl's shoulders.</p><p>"Tubbo, what the hell was all...this?" Sapnap mutter, though his tone was soft, holding no malice to it.</p><p>Tubbo glanced between to two before motioning for them to sit. Once the two had settled, Tubbo gave them a warm smile. "Well, I'll just explain it straight, I suppose. Um, Quackity is a little. An age regressor." </p><p>"A what?" Karl questioned with a confused frown, head tilting slightly.</p><p>"An age regressor. His mind falls back to an age that makes it easier to cope with his stress and process his emotions." Tubbo said simply,  rubbing gentle circles along Quackity's back.</p><p>"So, he's like, a kid right now?" Sapnap questioned, pressing for clarification. </p><p>Tubbo hummed lightly and nodded. "Yeah, exactly," he said before glancing down at the small boy in his arms. "Hey, baby, will you tell us how old you're feeling?" </p><p>Quackity shifted a bit before holding up three fingers. A second passed before a finger flicked down to show two, and back up to show three. "What does that mean?" Sapnap asked Tubbo quietly, earning a small laugh from the teen. </p><p>"He's between ages." Tubbo mused softly before looking at Alex. "Isn't that right, big guy?" He cooed softly, earning a small smile and nod from the little. </p><p>Karl couldn't help but squeal a but, practically gushing over his friend. "You're so honking adorable!" He uttered lightly, earning a small laugh from Sapnap. </p><p>"Yeah, yeah I guess he is." The younger agreed, giving a slight nod.</p><p>A small blush crept onto Quackity's face, the younger peering at his friends with his big eyes through thick lashes. "Not mad?" He asked softly, though the words were slightly muffled by the pacifier in his mouth. </p><p>"God no! Of course, we aren't mad, Alex! You're our best friend, we could never be mad at you! Besides, you're too cute to stay angry at, even if we were." Karl said promptly, earning a small giggle from the boy.</p><p>Sapnap hummed in agreement before glancing to Tubbo. "I mean, you are going to teach us how to do all of that stuff, right?" Sapnap asked, a small bit of stress present in his voice. "Because, like, I know Karl is good with kids and everything, but I'm...not? I don't want to mess up." Sapnap admitted, caring more for his friend than he would let himself verbalize. </p><p>While Karl cooed and teased his friend over the soft display of affection, Tubbo simply smiled at Sapnap and gave a reassuring nod. "Of course I will."</p><p>So Tubbo spent the rest of the day with them. While Quackity slowly began warming up to his friends in little space, Tubbo took the time to explain the simple things that came with taking care of Quackity. Even though Karl seemed to pick up on actually taking care of Quackity, but it seemed as though Quackity took preference to Sapnap. Quackity seemed to have a blast harassing Sapnap, trying to draw him into random games he would make up on the spot, and Tubbo and Karl simply had fun watching Sapnap awkwardly try to play along. </p><p>Though things were a bit awkward and confusing for the boys at first, a routine quickly settled. Thanks to Tubbo, Sapnap, and Karl had grown comfortable caring for Quackity on their own. Quackity no longer feared slipping around his friends and found comfort in letting them care for him in a way that not even Tubbo could provide. However, Tubbo still stayed with him, caring for him during the long periods of time he was unable to sneak away to see his friends from the SMP. While their situation may not have been ideal, Quackity couldn't have been happier, having been gifted the three best caregivers he could have ever asked for.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Unspoken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo CG!Schlatt and Quackity</p><p>Tubbo had always struggled with nightmares but did his best not to trouble people with helping him. When he loses Tommy and Wilbur, the only people that would be there when he had nightmares, due to the presidential campaign and wakes up from a nightmare feeling small, he doesn't have any other choice but to go to the President and Vice President of Manberg and hope they could provide some comfort. </p><p>Warnings: Nightmares, panic attack, hints at physical abuse</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We love awkward/flustered Schlatt. He deserves more love.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tubbo hated his nightmares. They were the one thing that had haunted him since he was a child and only seemed to worsen as he grew older. They had progressed from small things such as monsters in the dark and scary dogs to realistic replays of his brother yelling at him and Tommy or occasionally dreams about his boss and president abusing him in ways he didn't fully understand. </p><p>The SMP knew about Tubbo's regression. Prior to the divide between Manberg and the SMP, it hadn't been uncommon to see Tubbo wandering along the prime path or sitting in flower fields while regressed. Sometimes he was alone or had Wilbur watching him, and other times he was accompanied by Tommy or Karl, the small group of Littles getting into nothing but trouble and causing chaos for the adults that were left to clean up after them. </p><p>But Tubbo knew those days were gone now. Tommy hadn't regressed since they lost L'Manberg, and he hadn't gotten to see Karl since Quackity sided with Schlatt. Truthfully, he wasn't even sure Karl had seen his caregiver since the election.  And of course, without Wilbur, Tubbo had no one to turn to when his nightmares became too much. Regressing had never been much of an issue. He supposed he had been lucky in that way. Since Quackity had taken care of Karl before the tragedy of the election, the shift in their relationship was almost natural; Quackity becoming Tubbo's caregiver was therapeutic and healthy for the both of them, the stress of working under Schlatt a thing they both shared and understood. It allowed Tubbo to cope healthily while allowing Quackity to hold onto the part of himself that still had control over something. </p><p>Yet Tubbo never told Quackity of his nightmares. He couldn't tell Quackity of his nightmares. Tommy and Wilbur were the only ones who knew, of course, they knew. They were his brothers, they took care of him. They protected him from the scary monsters that came from him and snuggled him until he could sleep easy. But they couldn't do that anymore. They were in Pogtopia now, and he slept in the same building as Quackity and Schlatt. It was one of those days where Tubbo simply felt off. It had been a bad day since he woke up, and not for any particular reason, he just simply felt tired and unfocused. His mind wanted to be anywhere but at meetings all day, and it didn't go unnoticed by either Schlatt or Quackity. Tubbo guessed Schlatt got irritated with his mental absence because the president dismissed the boy from the rest of their meetings. </p><p>It was only seven-thirty, but the boy felt exhausted. Perhaps it was because he hadn't slept well the prior night, or maybe it was because he had been mentally exerted all day, but Tubbo was going to make the most of the night and curl up in bed. He was more than ready to sleep the night away. His feet shuffled into the basement of the large office building and into his room where he dressed into comfortable pajamas and soon enough, he was curled up under plush yellow blankets, fast asleep. </p><p>The sleep had only lasted about two hours when Tubbo woke with a jolt. Tears were already streaming from soft brown eyes as he stared at the blanket pooled in his lap. He could still feel his ears ringing from the overwhelming sound of Schlatt's voice. A phantom pain stung his cheek from where the president had slapped him moments before. He wanted his brothers. He needed them to assure him he was okay, to assure him he was safe. But he knew he couldn't go to them. That they couldn't comfort him and take care of him the way he so desperately wanted, and that made it so much worse.</p><p>Tubbo choked out a sob. He was getting dizzy, his vision beginning to grow dark, and as desperately as Tubbo didn't want to, the boy knew he needed to find Quackity before he passed out from lack of oxygen. With wobbly legs, Tubbo stood and shuffled his way out of his room. His trip back up the stairs was unstable, and scary for the young boy. Tubbo felt small. Much smaller than he ever had since his time under Schlatt's rule, and it made the staircase incredibly daunting as he climbed the three flights it took to get back to the meeting room. Tubbo paused outside the door. He could hear Quackity and Schlatt's voice bouncing back and forward. It sounded as if they were arguing over something, leaving Tubbo to hesitate to enter. His tears had stopped, but his anxiety was continuing to spike. He didn't want to be near Schlatt. Schlatt was scary, he was a meanie, and Tubbo always wanted to hide from Schlatt when he was little. But he needed Quackity. He needed him bad. </p><p>The talking in the room seemed to cease when the men heard the door to the meeting room creak open. Their attention turned in the direction of the little, and the room sat in silence until Quackity decided to speak. "Tubbo, didn't we release you? What're you doing here?" </p><p>Tubbo shifted his weight from foot to shoot. His lips parted as if to speak before closing again. He fiddled with the hem of his shirt, refusing to look up. The feeling of Schlatt's gaze burning into him was unnerving, making him anxious enough to not want to speak at all, or at least feel unable to.</p><p>Schlatt's eyes narrowed, a small scoff escaping the back of his throat. "Is he little right now? Are you fucking kidding me?" Schlatt spoke before he could stop himself, but quickly shut up at the harsh glare he received from the younger. </p><p>Quackity's gaze shifted back to the little, his expression lightening to a soft look as he peered at Tubbo. "Is that true, bub? Are you feeling little?" He asked softly, his tone nothing short of accepting and comforting. </p><p>Tubbo finally looked up to Quackity, fresh tears were pricking his eyes as he gave a small nod, fingers trembling with anxiety as he clenched the fabric of his own shirt. "M'sorry. Din't mean to be smawl." He murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. </p><p>Quackity frowned and rolled his chair back from the table, swiveling his whole body around to face the little. "No bub, you don't gotta apologize. You know you're always allowed to come to me when you feel small, right?" He said softly, eyeing Tubbo over as he took in the constant fidgeting and shifting of the boy; the classic signs of the younger's anxiety. "Come here, baby. You seem anxious. Come tell me what's wrong." Quackity cooed softly, patting his lap invitingly.</p><p>Tubbo was quick to stumble into the older boy's lap, cramming his face into the crook of Quackity's neck as tears began to flow freely again. Quackity soothingly rubbed small circles along his back, smoothing a hand through the boy's hair. "Come on, bubba. What's going on?" </p><p>"Had nightmare," Tubbo murmured, his words muffled by Quackity's neck as he clutched onto the front of the older's shirt.</p><p>The older hummed softly, gently rocking Tubbo to soothe him. "A nightmare, hm? You wanna tell me what it was about?" There was silence for a few minutes, whatever argument the older boys were previously having seemingly forgotten as they waited for the boy to respond. </p><p>"Schwatt was angwy." He eventually murmured, causing the two older boys to glance at each other, and for once, Quackity saw traces of panic and guilt in Schlatt's eyes; a very rare thing to see from the older.</p><p>"Then what happened?" Quackity asked softly, as though afraid to know the answer. </p><p>"Yelled at me lots," He whispered, voice trembling softly as a small sniffle sounded the room. "N'he slapped me n'yelled s'more n'then I woke up." He said between short shakey breaths but was quickly soothed by the man holding him. </p><p>The glare Schlatt was receiving from the younger had his heart pounding. A look of wild panic was evident on his face, as he stumbled over his words, desperate to explain himself. "Alex, I've never hit him, I swear. I would never hit him, you gotta believe me, man!"</p><p>Quackity sighed quietly and let his glare soften. "You're going to make it up to him," Quackity said firmly. "I'm going to go get his gear. You're going to take him to my room and take care of him until I get there. Understand?"</p><p>Schlatt's cheeks flushed pink as he frowned at being ordered around but begrudgingly agreed. Tubbo tried desperately not to leave Quackity's side but after several minutes of reassurance, the boy was left alone in the meeting room with Schlatt. The two stood in uncomfortable silence for several minutes before Schlatt cleared his throat. "Well, um, come on. We gotta get you to Alex's room, don't we?" Schlatt spoke, trying his best to help the little, but not very good at it. </p><p>Schlatt turned on his heels to walk out of the room, and Tubbo sniffled, simply shifting his weight as he watched the older. Schlatt slowly stopped and turned to look at the little, giving him a confused look. Tubbo's face flushed a soft tint of pink, the smaller looking away as he sheepishly held his arms out to the man. Schlatt stared blankly before his eyes widened, blinking as he stuttered over his words. "You want me to carry you?"</p><p>Tubbo nibbled on his lip before speaking softly. "Too small ta walk." </p><p>Schlatt slowly nodded in understanding before walking back over, picking the smaller boy up. He was light, far lighter than Schlatt would have expected, but not necessarily unhealthy. Schlatt began walking up the stairs towards Quackity's room and spoke curiously. "If you're too small to walk, how old are you?"</p><p>Tubbo silently held up a single finger before fiddling with the horns on Schlatt's head, causing the ram's ears to twitch lightly. Schlatt sat on the edge of Quackity's bed and attempted to put the little down, but quickly stopped when the little only whined and clung onto him. Despite normally being scared of Schlatt, the older was showing a softer side of himself, allowing the little to warm up to the President. </p><p>There wasn't really any conversation between the two. They sat in comfortable silence, Tubbo resting his head on Schlatt's shoulder while messing with his horns, and the older lightly bouncing the smaller on his lap in a playful, but soothing manner. It was about ten minutes before Quackity finally showed up, but when he did, his arms were stacked with Tubbo's little gear. Quackity gave a small smile at the scene before him and stepped into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. </p><p>"Sorry about the wait. Had to find some of the gear. I figured he'd have slipped more, and he usually doesn't slip so young." The caregiver explained, making his way over to the bed and laying the abundance of gear on it. </p><p>Schlatt's eyes scanned over the new objects. Quackity had brought up Tubbo's favorite fluffy yellow blanket, and several stuffed animals. A small white and yellow pacifier laid in the mix, along with a few teethers, yet Quackity still held a bottle in his hand filled with what Schlatt only assumed was milk. "How young does he usually slip?" Schlatt asked curiously as he finally looked away from the toys and back to QUackity.</p><p>Quackity hummed and sat next to Schlatt, not acting surprised in the slightest when the boy quickly clambered from Sclatt's lap into his own. "Usually between three and five. Sometimes younger, but it's incredibly rare."</p><p>Schlatt hummed a bit and hesitated a minute before awkwardly wrapping the yellow blanket around the little, but relaxed a bit when he watched him curl into the comforting item. "Um, yeah. He told me he was one, I think. Had to carry him here." Schlatt said softly, watching as Quackity's grin quickly grew teasing in his direction; and though he didn't say anything at that moment, Schlatt knew he would be getting an earful of it later.</p><p>Quackity turned his attention down to the little and hummed. "Hey bub, you feeling better?" Quackity asked softly, earning a quick nod from the little. "Yeah? Not so scared of Schlatt anymore?" He cooed softly, holding him close. </p><p>Tubbo quickly shook his head and looked up to Schlatt, eyes beaming. "Nu uh! Mr. Pwesident nice man." He slurred out, just barely pulling himself together enough to talk. </p><p>Quackity cooed before giving him a wide grin. "Well, I made you some angel milk. You want that?" He offered softly.</p><p>That's how they spent the night, laying on Quackity's bed with the little curled between them. At some point, Tubbo ended up with the pacifier in his mouth and had clutched a small bee plush close to his chest as he fell asleep. Both boys refused to move, for fear of waking the little up, and eventually fell asleep next to him. Sleeping in the same bed was not as awkward as some may have thought, even when they woke up the next morning. QUackity, of course, teased Schlatt endlessly the next morning about his softness for the little, and Schlatt just took it with nothing more than a glare. Tubbo couldn't find himself to care about their bickering, because his mind was stuck on one thing.</p><p>That was the first night in years he hadn't had a nightmare, and it was because of two goofy men who were unaware he had nightmares, to begin with.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Under the Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy, Tubbo, and Karl CG!Quackity and Wilbur</p><p>The littles are desperate to see each other after the divide between Pogtopia and Manberg, so they sneak behind the president's back one night to go stargazing.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a short one, but for once there are no panic attacks :D Just pure fluff!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hushed whispers and giggles filled the still air as feet shuffled against soft grass. Three boys stumbled into each other as they hurried along the open field to their most favorite spot under a lone, pretty oak tree. Sloppy gestures were followed by eager words, the walking slowly shifting to running until all the boys ran into each other, collapsing into a pile of giggles on top of one another. Behind them, two men followed with small smiles. Soft conversation bounced between the two as they watched the three boys clamber off of each other, their eyes holding a look of endearment as they watched the boys finally reunite. </p><p>Though it felt as though things should be tense between the two men, watching their littles cling to each other with the desperation of never wanting to let go again weighed the air down with something else. A feeling of guilt and perhaps respect. Small, knowing glances were shared between the two caregivers, and it felt as if a weight had been lifted from both of their shoulders. Small, forgiving smiles graced their lips as the old president of L'Manberg and new vice president of Manberg eased into a conversation, just as they once always had. </p><p>Happy laughs erupted from the littles as they chased each other around the empty field. Karl was tripping over his lanky legs, his little mind unable to coordinate the length of his legs to his movements, but it just made it that much more fun. Tommy had patches of dirt smeared on his cheeks and grass stains coating the knees of his pants. It was clear the boy had already fallen, multiple times, but it didn't seem to be stopping him as he ran after Tubbo. Tubbo was running the flowers, giggling as his older brother fruitlessly chased after him. Karl had ahold of his hand, helping him stay away from the boisterous little behind them. Eventually, Tubbo got distracted and stopped moving. Tommy crashed into the back of them causing all three to tumble to the ground. They all began giggling but Karl managed to speak through his laughter. </p><p>"What happened, Tubs?"</p><p>Tubbo looked at the older littles with beaming eyes and pointed to a small, pink flower, where a baby bumblebee sat. "Look! Bee!" He squealed excitedly, causing the bee to fly away from the sudden attention.</p><p>"No! Don' let it get away!" Tommy gasped out as he scrambled to his feet.</p><p>And before they knew it, the three littles were chasing after a baby bee, who really just wanted to get pollen. </p><p>Wilbur and Quackity watched as the boys ran aimlessly around the field, content smiles on their faces. "They really needed this, didn't they?" Wilbur asked softly, gaze not shifting from the littles.</p><p>"Yeah," Quackity murmured. "We're pretty awful, aren't we? Separating them from each other as we did? I mean, they're best friends, and we took that from them. Just look at them now." </p><p>Wilbur sighed softly and leaned his head back against the tree. "Yeah. Probably not our smartest move, hm? Guess we both just let the power get to us."</p><p>Quackity slowly nodded and glanced at Wilbur guiltily. "I'm sorry about that, by the way. I shouldn't have done that. It was your country. I shouldn't have taken it from you as I did. You're a far better president than Schlatt is, and I know I messed up."</p><p>"It's fine, dude. Tommy and I got selfish, anyways. It was just a big series of mistakes, yeah?" Wilbur said softly, shifting his gaze and offering Quackity a forgiving smile. </p><p>Quackity seemed to relax, a small nod being received. The caregivers turned their attention back to the littles who were now laying in the middle of the field. Giving each other a curious look, the two got up and made their way over to the small dog pile of boys. </p><p>"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Quackity asked softly, watching as Karl's looked at him with a happy but sleepy expression. </p><p>"Lookin' at the stars!" He beamed softly before nuzzling back against Tubbo who laid sandwiched between the other two boys. </p><p>Wilbur found a small smile gracing his lips. "Oh yeah? Can Quackity and I join you? It sounds like fun."</p><p>All the boys gave instant nods, all babbling out their own variation of a yes as they scootched around to make room for their caregivers. Wilbur had settled himself between Tommy and Tubbo. Each boy had curled into a different side while Wilbur stroked a hand through each of their hair. Quackity laid next to Tubbo, Karl choosing to curl up on the man's stomach as he craned his neck to stare up at the sky. </p><p>Their night was content and quiet. Spent with Wilbur occasionally pointing out constellations, and the littles gushing over every star that twinkled just slightly brighter than the rest. For once, the five boys were content. None of them were worried about the war they knew was going to go down, they weren't worried about the rivalry that kept them separated. None of them wanted to go home that night. None of them wanted to cut their time together short, and so they didn't. They slept together in that field, comfortably tangled up together as the moonlight shone down on them. And now if you asked any of the littles what their favorite thing to do together was, they would all tell you it would be sleeping under the stars.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Study Buddy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Tubbo</p><p>Tommy doesn't want to do his homework and Tubbo has a big upcoming test. Dealing with a little or not, Tubbo was determined to do at least a little bit of studying before going to bed.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I want to apologize for this being so short. This has been a very rough week for me, and I simply haven't been feeling very in it. I swear I will have something better out when I feel more like myself, I just didn't want to leave you guys hanging! And if you want something a bit longer, check out my One-Shot book if you haven't already! I'm publishing an angst shot today that I've spent a good amount of time on and am very happy with how it turned out.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tubbo wasn't sure what he had been expecting when he got an unexpected discord call from his best friend, Tommy, but the boy stating that he wanted company while doing his homework was not it. Tubbo didn't mind the company; in fact, it was much appreciated as the older studied his notes for a history test he had the upcoming day. However, as the night went on, Tommy was beginning to prove to be more of a distraction than anything. </p><p>"Tuuubbooo. Do I have to do my homework?" </p><p>Tubbo snorted in amusement and shook his head. "Yes, Tommy. You do."</p><p>"But WHY?" He whined, flopping back into his chair, lightly swiveling in it as he glanced at his friend through his monitor. </p><p>"Because, Tommy, you need to have good grades," Tubbo said with a small laugh. "Besides, doing homework together was literally the entire point of this call."</p><p>"Well, yeah," Tommy said with a dissatisfied huff. "But now I'm bored and don't want to do my homework no more." </p><p>Tubbo sighed a bit. He knew what was happening. It was impossible not to know what was happening, especially when Tubbo watched over his friend on the regular. The inability to sit still, the slight slips in his speech as he tried to hold himself together, the distaste towards doing work he knew needed to be done; Tommy was slipping. And Tubbo knew if he didn't find a way to keep the boy occupied, he wouldn't be able to do his own work either. </p><p>The older sighed and set his notebook down, turning his gaze to his friend who seemed to perk at the sudden attention. "Well, if you don't want to do your homework, what do you want to do instead?" He questioned.</p><p>Tommy bit his lip in thought for a minute before beaming, wearing a wide grin as he spoke. "Oh! We should get on our server n'play Minecraft! Just-just the two of us!" Tommy explained, bouncing in his chair slightly in anticipation. </p><p>Tubbo sighed and shook his head. "I can't do that, bub. I know you don't want to do your homework, but I still have to study. I have a really big test tomorrow, you know."</p><p>Tommy let out an annoyed whine and rolled his eyes. "Well, that isn't very fair." He pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. </p><p>Tubbo raised his eyebrows at the little and spoke slowly, his tone soft, but held enough of a warning for Tommy to understand. "No. What isn't fair is your attitude, Tommy. I understand that you don't want to do your work, I won't make you. You can deal with it in the morning when you feel big. But telling me I can't do my work because you don't want me to is very selfish."</p><p>Tommy's bottom lip jutted out in a small pout as he sunk back in his chair. "M'sowwy, Tubs. Jus' wanted to play with you." Tommy murmured. </p><p>Tubbo relaxed and gave him an assuring smile. "I know, Tommy. But I have to study. I won't have time to do it in the morning." Tubbo hummed a bit. "How about this. You get on the server, okay? You can talk to me all about what you're doing, and I can give you advice on what else to do! How does that sound?"</p><p>Tommy wiggled into an upright position at the suggestion and nodded eagerly, logging into the server as Tubbo picked the notebook back up. Trying to stay focused with Tommy constantly babbling in his ear wasn't particularly easy, but it was relaxing. Tubbo knew he could barely call what he was doing studying, more like staring blankly at a page while he conversed with Tommy about all the flowers in Minecraft, and encouraging Tommy to lead a baby cow back to its mama, basking in how excited Tommy got when he watched the two cows wander off into the woods together. </p><p>This was how their night went for hours. Tubbo was sure he should have sent the little to bed long before one am, but he knew it would have just been an unnecessary fight. So, he let the boy stay up with him until he could finally hear Tommy fighting off yawns. Tubbo gave a small smile and glanced up from his notes, watching Tommy rub at his eyes discreetly. </p><p>"Hey Toms, I think you should go to bed," Tubbo said softly, instantly earning a whine.</p><p>"Not tired, Tubbo! Don' wanna go to bed!"</p><p>Tubbo hummed softly. Luckily, he had been caring for Tommy long enough to know his way around fights with the little and knew how to make the boy cave. "That's okay, Toms, but can you at least get in pajamas and in bed for me? I promise we can stay on the call and talk as long as you want."</p><p>Tubbo heard quiet mumbling before he heard shuffling and watched as Tommy hung up to get dressed. Tubbo sighed in relief as he leaned back in his chair, running a tired hand through his hair. Several minutes later, Tubbo received another discord call. Picking it up, Tubbo noted that Tommy was now calling from his phone, and was curled up in bed, just liked he had asked. </p><p>Tubbo smiled proudly and cooed his younger friend. "Good boy, thank you, Tommy!" He praised softly, watching as Tommy's cheeks flushed and he hid his face in his covers; a poor attempt to hide his embarrassment. </p><p>The two boys talked softly, Tubbo being sure to keep the conversation light, and soon, the little fell asleep just as Tubbo suspected he would. Tubbo only spent a bit more time studying before getting ready for bed himself. He stayed on the call with Tommy, just as he promised, even as he drifted to sleep himself. And even though he woke to the panicked sounds of Tommy scrambling to do his homework the next morning before he had to leave for school, and even though he didn't make nearly as high of a grade on his exam as he knew he should of, he would do it all again for Tommy if he had to. Because he loved his best friend to death, and nothing would ever change that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Discord</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Wilbur and Ranboo CG!Techno, Tubbo, and Philza Big!Tommy</p><p>Wilbur loved to regress and loved it even more when big brother Techno was there to watch him. He had always hidden his regression and hidden it well, but when the rest of the sleepy bois found their way into Techno and Wilbur's discord call, Wilbur knew he was well found out.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wilbur loved the days when he was able to sink far into his headspace and not have to worry about a thing. It was a far better way of coping than the impulsive drinking he sometimes did, and he never liked the way he felt when he woke up the mornings after those nights anyways. He simply loved being able to feel warm and fuzzy, surrounded by safety at any given time. His mind pushed away from the negativity that caused him to regress in the first place and allowed him to feel free and relaxed. And these days were always better when Techno was able to join him on a discord call. It meant he didn't have to take care of himself, and Wilbur loved not having to be in charge for once. Of course, they always had to schedule the days they would spend together like this, busy work schedules and all, but Wilbur didn't care. He still got to spend time with his brother after all!</p><p>Today was one of those days where Wilbur got to be on a call with Techno, the man caring for the regressed little as he went about his day. For the most part, Wilbur wasn't a particularly hard little to care for, especially seeing as Techno had to do it from a different country. In fact, Wilbur was rather easy to take care of. Wilbur was rather tame, always wanting to watch movies or play on his cat keyboard over anything else. Of course, he had his moments that made Techno want to pull his hair out, like the time he almost broke his guitar because he insisted he was big enough to hold it properly (he wasn't) and had a meltdown when he dropped it. It wasn't like Techno hadn't advised the little against it, but when Wilbur set his mind to something, he could prove to be more stubborn than Tommy. </p><p>Luckily, Wilbur had been so excited to get to spend the day with his caregiver, that he had no desire to be problematic today. He hadn't gotten to properly spend time with Techno in a while, and he didn't want to spoil the day by being bratty. The two had gotten on a call almost as soon as Wilbur had woken up. Even though it was incredibly early for Techno, nearly four in the morning, the caregiver didn't seem fazed. He greeted Wilbur warmly and assured the boy was dressed in something he would be comfortable in for the entire day. Wilbur had insisted on showing off his outfit, a pair of black overalls with a rather large grey sweater on under, and his glasses placed just right on the bridge of his nose. Techno was slightly jealous. Even while regressed, he swore Wilbur had a better sense of fashion than anyone he had ever met. </p><p>Techno walked Wilbur through pouring himself a bowl of cereal, thankful that there hadn't been a spill this time. He assumed that Wilbur was a bit older as it was, his words were fairly clear and he was more energetic than he typically was, though Techno had a feeling that wouldn't last long. It never did take long for Wilbur to slip younger when he had a caregiver, after all. Techno held a small conversation with the boy through his breakfast before making the boy clean up once he was finished. He didn't miss out on the chance to praise the younger for how good he had been doing all morning, earning a beaming smile of pride from Wilbur in response. </p><p>"Okay, Wil, we've done everything you have to do this morning. What do you want to do first today?" Techno questioned curiously, watching as Wilbur pondered for a moment before perking up. </p><p>"Can I plays some music, baba?" He asked, excitement shining brightly in his eyes. </p><p>Techno smiled warmly and gave a small nod. "Of course bub, just don't use any of big Wilbur's instruments. Remember what happened last time?"</p><p>Wilbur whined and jutted his bottom lip out in a small pout as he gave a nod. "Yeah, I member. Promise not to." He mumbled before smiling again, running off to his room. </p><p>Techno watched as Wilbur shuffled around for a moment to prop his phone up somewhere in his room, allowing Techno to have a clear view of what Wilbur was doing. Wilbur plopped down on the floor in front of the phone and held up a small bundle of instruments in pride, giving a grin. "Lookies! No big instruments, baba! Just like I pwomised!"</p><p>Techno let out a small chuckle and scanned over the array of instruments the boy had dragged over. He had a plastic recorder, a harmonica, what Techno assumed was a maraca of some sort, and of course, his favorite cat keyboard all sprawled out in front of him. "Good job, Wil! What are you gonna play for me?" Techno questioned, smiling and listening patiently as Wilbur stumbled over his words to explain whatever song he had 'definitely' written for him ahead of time.</p><p>Wilbur wasn't actually terrible at playing music, even while little. His muscles but have just known what to do, even while his mind was regressed. Even though it was sloppy, and very clearly not Wilbur's usually playing, Techno still found the music tolerable and definitely believed that the skill at which Wilbur played did not match his mental age, and he wasn't sure whether to be impressed or jealous.</p><p>Though Wilbur did eventually get bored of the instruments and let out a small huff. "Baba, m'bored." He would whine softly, curly brown hair falling in front of his eyes. </p><p>Techno let out a small laugh and hummed. "Well, why don't we watch a movie. How does that sound?" He asked softly, though already knew the answer as he pulled Netflix up on his computer.</p><p>Wilbur let out a small noise of excitement as he grabbed his phone. "Yeah! Um, ten we watch Wittle Mewmaid pwease?" Wilbur asked softly as he grabbed his laptop. </p><p>"Of course we can. Why don't you go ahead and rejoin the call on your computer so you can watch, okay?" Techno said softly as he cast his screen to the discord call, waiting patiently for Wilbur to rejoin.</p><p>When the boy did finally rejoin a few minutes later, he was curled up in bed and hugging his favorite whale plushy close to his chest. He also had a pastel orange pacifier tucked between his lips and clipped to his overalls in case it fell out of his mouth. Techno smiled softly to himself and relaxed. Wilbur had clearly slipped younger, but that wasn't a problem. In fact, it made it easier for Techno. Wilbur was always calmer when he was younger; easier to please. </p><p>"Ready to start, Wil?" Techno questioned, earning a single, solid nod of confirmation as the boy's eyes focused in on the screen before him. </p><p>Truthfully, Techno didn't really watch the movie. He didn't particularly like Disney, and The Little Mermaid was one he had watched enough times with Wilbur to have memorized the script. Though he would never say no to putting it on; not to Wilbur anyways. Techno had been quietly reading a book, occasionally glancing at Wilbur to check on him when a small ding brought his attention back to the call. It seemed to have broken Wilbur's attention from the movie as well because it was a sound the boys were all too familiar with. It was the sound of someone joining their discord call. </p><p>He forgot to lock their call.</p><p>Techno mentally cursed at himself for forgetting such a simple thing. It was a mistake he had never made before, but the guilt hit him like a truck when he saw just how many people had joined their call. Four. Four people. Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo, and Philza had all joined their call and seen this. It didn't help him feel any better when he glanced at Wilbur and saw the pure fear in the little's eyes, small tears pricking his eyes as he shuffled around before promptly turning off his facecam as Techno shut the movie off; though they both knew the damage had been done.</p><p>The call sat in tense silence, Techno tried to ignore the sickening feeling in his gut, but it wasn't doing much to help. Tubbo was the first to speak, breaking the silence, but not the tension. "Did we come at a bad time? Sorry, we tried to text you guys but didn't get a response, and just saw your call..." He said softly but found himself at a loss for what to say by the end of his sentence.</p><p>Techno cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. He wasn't going to force Wilbur to handle this; after all, forgetting to lock the call was his mistake, not Wilbur's. "Yeah, our phones are on silent." He said simply, typing out a small message to Wilbur in a private chat. </p><p>'Breath, Wil. It will be okay. I'll take care of it. I'm sorry for not locking the call."</p><p>No more than two seconds later, Wilbur had responded. 'Scared baba. Don want them here'</p><p>Techno's heart clenched and he typed a short, but reassuring response. 'I know, buddy. I'll make it better, I promise. Just trust me."</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry. We should have just waited." Tubbo murmured, biting his lip nervously. </p><p>A small sigh was heard through the voice call before a soft, but mildly annoyed voice spoke out. "Christ, this is pointless. Techno, Wilbur, you guys don't have to stress about this. I'm a little too, you know." Ranboo said, causing Techno's gaze to snap to him, and a nearly silent, but audible noise of surprise to sound from Wilbur. </p><p>"You are?' Techno asked lowly as if trying to make sure they weren't being messed with.</p><p>Ranboo let out a small laugh and nodded. "Yeah. I regress sometimes, too. It's nothing we'd judge you over, Wilbur," Ranboo assured. "In fact, Tubbo takes care of me sometimes. He doesn't care either."</p><p>Tubbo's face flushed at the sudden exposure, but he gave a small smile and nodded. "Yeah. It's nothing bad. You don't have to be scared of us, Wil!" Tubbo added on in assurance. </p><p>The call sat silent for a moment for faint shuffling was heard and Wilbur's facecam suddenly reappeared. The boy's eyes were puffy, and he had small tear tracks running down his cheeks. His expression was scared and peculiarly shy, Techno had noted, but Tubbo almost instantly cooed over the little. </p><p> "Aw, Wil! You look so cute!" He crooned. </p><p>Wilbur looked away in a flustered manner, cheeks heating up as he shyly glanced back towards the screen. "Chu' mean that?" He asked in a small voice. </p><p>Tubbo beamed and gave a firm nod. "Oh, absolutely."</p><p>Techno smiled softly at the scene, but quickly shifted his gaze to Tommy when the boy's voice sounded through the call. "Can someone explain what the fuck is going on?"</p><p>"Tommy! Be nice!" Philza scolded and gave a small glare before smiling sheepishly. "But um, yeah. Can you guys explain this more? I don't think Tommy and quite understand what's happening yet."</p><p>Techno hummed a small bit and leaned back in his seat. "Age regression. It's like, a coping thing. When they get stressed out, their mind regresses to a child. Helps them relax and process all their emotions more healthily." </p><p>"So he's like..a kid right now? Like, he isn't an adult?" Tommy asked, but the question sounded serious, and Techno was glad Tommy was genuinely trying to understand. </p><p>"Yeah, exactly. He can only think and act as big as his mind lets him feel." Techno said with a small nod. </p><p>"So, how old is he now, then?" Tommy asked curiously, swiveling in his chair slightly. </p><p>Techno shifted his gaze to Wilbur who was fiddling with his plushy again. "Hey Wil, how old are you feeling right now?" He asked softly. Normally he would be fairly comfortable answering for him, but he knew Wilbur had likely just been thrown around headspaces. It was likely he was forced older when the others joined and were regressing smaller again now that he was relaxed again, so truthfully, he wasn't sure.</p><p>Wilbur thought for a long moment before counting out three fingers and holding them up. "M'frwee." He mumbled, earning yet another coo from Tubbo.</p><p>Tommy let out a small laugh and puffed his chest out playfully. "Ha! Now I get to be the big brother!" Tommy joked, earning a small giggle from Wilbur as he watched Tommy play out his antics. </p><p>Phil smiled and shook his head. "Well, I may not know as much about it as you do, but if you want to teach me more, I'd be happy to help watch after him." Phil offered warmly. "Same with you, Ranboo."</p><p>Ranboo couldn't help but grin and nod rapidly at the idea of Philza helping watch him as well. After all, Tubbo was only a kid too, and he couldn't always be expected to help out. Techno just gave a small smile and glanced at Wilbur. </p><p>"What do you think Wil? You want Phil to join us too?" He asked softly, wanting to make sure the little was okay with everything happening (Though he would make sure they would all talk about it when Wilbur was big as well).</p><p>Wilbur eagerly nodded and clapped a bit. "Uh-huh! Dadza!" He slurred out with a small giggle, earning a laugh from Phil.</p><p>"So, what were you guys doing before we interrupted?" Ranboo asked curiously?</p><p>"Was watchin' Wittle Mewmaid!" Wilbur said excitedly, wiggling around on his bed. </p><p>Tubbo smiled a bit and hummed. "Well is it okay if we join you for the rest of it?" He asked softly, asking what the rest of them were thinking.</p><p>Wilbur nodded happily as Techno pulled the movie back up and resumed it from where they were. Wilbur had slipped his pacifier back into his mouth and settled down comfortably. Techno resumed his place in his book after locking their discord call, and they all enjoyed the rest of the movie as a small family. The evening was peaceful, except for the occasional commentary Tommy added in when he didn't agree with the movie, which led to small bickering between Tommy and Wilbur, which was eventually broken up by Techno or Phil. However, none of them minded. They were all content with their new family, and they planned for it to stay that way.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. C.A.M.P.F.I.R.E. S.O.N.G</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Karl CG!Sapnap</p><p>Sapnap cut himself up while on a camping trip with the rest of the boys, and his little decides to come to the rescue and take care of Sapnap and all his injuries.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sapnap couldn't quite remember why the boys had decided to go on a camping trip, but he would never really say no to the chance of getting to see all of his closest friends in person at the same time. Who would? Sapnap stretched slowly as he climbed out of his car. He had been the last to arrive, but he didn't particularly mind. They had decided to meet in North Carolina, Karl having claimed that out of all the places everyone lived, North Carolina had the best places to go camping, and no one really argued it. He was in the mountains, after all. </p><p>Sapnap had barely stepped out of his car before he was tackled into a hug. He was caught off guard, stumbling back into the side of his car to stabilize himself and he slowly wrapped his arms around the person in return. </p><p>"Sapnap! You're finally here! I've been waiting for like, forever!" Karl exclaimed, followed by a small giggle as he grinned at the smaller boy. </p><p>Sapnap let out a small laugh and shook his head in amusement. "Okay, well I'm sorry I don't live here like you do Karl."</p><p>Karl scoffed in amusement and pulled back, gripping onto Sapnap's wrist as he dragged him towards the area everyone was setting up. "Everyone else is already here, but they're going to be so excited to see you too! Not nearly as excited as me, but still." He quipped happily, earning a small laugh from Sapnap. </p><p>They walked into a small clearing. Large green trees surrounded the circular area. A dirt path led elsewhere towards the back of the area, and a nice fire pit was placed center. One tent was already put up on one side of the fire pit while the other was in the progress of being put up on the opposite side. Sapnap took a deep breath and let his shoulders relax. He knew this weekend would be fun. After all, he was spending it with a great group of people and doing something he loved to do. </p><p>"Ay, Sapnap!" A voice drew out, approaching him and Karl. "How's it going man?" Quackity asked with a grin, pulling the taller into a hug, which he happily reciprocated. </p><p>"Good, good! Long drive, but I think I'll survive." Sapnap joked lightly, pulling back from the hug, only to be pulled into someone's chest from behind, a pair of arms wrapping around his shoulders and clinging onto him. </p><p>"Sapnaaaaap! I've missed you! How dare you not come say hi to me, I'm offended!" Dream's voice rang through his ears, causing Sapnap to groan and bite back a smile. </p><p>"And now I'm deaf, great to see you too." He huffed, shrugging his tall friend's arms off of his shoulders. </p><p>Dream let out a distressed noise and whined playfully. "Why don't you love me? I thought I was supposed to be your best friend!"</p><p>"God Dream, you look like a kicked puppy." George mused as he walked up to the group, giving a small smile. "Hi, Sap. How was the drive?"</p><p>Sapnap finally grinned and shrugged. "It was fine. Long, but not unpleasant."</p><p>"Sapnaaaaaap!" A pleasant voice rang out causing Sapnap to shift his gaze to look behind George. "I was afraid you were never going to make it! I swear one more moment of Dream's incessant whining and I would have called this whole trip off."</p><p>"Hey! I wasn't that bad." Dream defended fruitlessly, moving to half hide behind George when everyone's gaze shifted to him, their expressions stating otherwise. </p><p>"Yeah, he's like that. I've no idea how I've put up with him for so long." Sapnap joked with a smile. "Thanks for babysitting him, Bad. Lord knows George probably wasn't helping."</p><p>"He wasn't! He was mocking him the whole gosh darn time! It was like trying to set up these tents with a bunch of toddlers!"</p><p>The day went as quickly as it came, though no one particularly minded. They had decided to just relax for the day and settle in, allowing themselves to catch up with one another as they roasted marshmallows later that night. They had decided that they would have to split the six of them between the two tents, which truly wasn't all that bad. None of them really minded, and it was quickly decided that Dream, George, and Bad would stay in one tent while Karl, Spanap, and Quackity would stay in the other. They kept up banter until the night grew quiet. It was becoming chilly out, and George was the first to call it a night and crawl into his tent. Dream and Bad had followed shortly after while Sapnap, Quackity, and Karl agreed to wait for the fire to go out completely. They sat in comfortable silence, Sapnap sandwiched between the two boys, and from the outside perspective, the way they sat so close together may seem slightly too friendly, but none of them thought anything of it. Karl had begun dozing off, his head lulling to rest on Sapnap's shoulder as he and Quackity kept up quiet conversation as to not disturb the resting man. They eventually made their way into the tent and allowed themselves to rest as well, prepared for the day to come. </p><p>Sapnap wasn't entirely sure how he expected to wake up, but it certainly wasn't supposed to be to the sounds of his friends shrieking and Bad scolding them to shut up. Confused by all the noise, Sapnap slow climbed out of the tent and rubbed at his eyes, allowing his pupils to adjust to the lighting before taking in the scene causing so much chaos. Dream was running around with something clutched to his chest while Karl stumbled after him, a rather upset look etched on his face. Quackity was on the other side of their camping site, laughing at the scene in amusement, though knowing Quackity, Sapnap would be amazed if the man didn't have something to do with it himself. Bad was in front of the fire pit, the spatula in his hand pointed firmly in Dream's direction as he continued to scold his friend. </p><p>"Dream, I swear to god if you don't leave poor Karl alone I'm going to make you regret it, you stupid muffin head. Stop being such a bully!" He said in aggravation, and Sapnap pieced together that this had likely been going on all morning. </p><p>Karl seemed to stop short when he saw that Sapnap was now awake and there, and suddenly turned away from Dream, making a B line for the younger instead. Sapnap grunted softly and the pure force Karl ran into him with but had actually been prepared for it this time. He wrapped his arms around the slender boy and furrowed his eyebrows in worry as Karl nuzzled his face into the crook of Sapnap's neck. </p><p>"Karl? Everything okay?" Sapnap asked softly, still unsure of what was going on, to begin with. </p><p>"Dream's bein' a meanie. Won't give me Remy back!" He whined softly.</p><p>Sapnap took a moment to slowly process Karl's words when it suddenly clicked for him. The entire situation began making sense to him as he lightly stroked the soft curly hair from Karl's face. Karl was little. Why he hadn't just woken Sapnap up when he slipped in the first place was beyond him, though he knew it was probably because Bad told Karl to let him sleep, and the entire scene he had watched play out made perfect sense now.</p><p>Sapnap's gaze suddenly shifted to stare straight at Dream, who was already staring at the ground with a guilty expression. Sapnap couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride. Dream always had the upper hand when it came to almost anything, however, he and Dream both knew that when it came to Karl, Sapnap always got the final say. And Dream knew he messed up by messing with the little.</p><p>"Dream," Sapnap said in a low tone, the gleam in his eyes warning, almost challenging. "Give him Remy back and apologize. Now."</p><p>Dream shuffled over to the two and sheepishly handed over the small rat plushie Sapnap had bought for Karl several months ago, which Karl had promptly named Remy and deemed his favorite. He mumbled a small apology and backed away again, but Karl didn't really seem to care - he was just happy to have his plushy back. </p><p>Quackity cackled from the sidelines and pointed at Dream in amusement. "You-you got told off by Sapnap." He laughed out in amusement, earning a small glare from Sapnap that immediately shut him up. </p><p>"Alright then, Quackity. Why don't you go ahead and tell me what you had to do with all of this, hm?" Sapnap snipped back, causing Quackity to flush and stutter over his words. </p><p>"Wh-what..? I didn't do anything!" He defended, earning a wheeze from Dream. </p><p>"You took the damn thing, to begin with, and threw it at me! What do you mean you didn't do anything!" Dream mused, his wheeze apparently being loud enough to finally wake George who stumbled out of the tent, rubbing at his eyes.</p><p>Sapnap rolled his eyes and shook his head, biting back a smile. "Figures."</p><p>"So, are we still good to go hiking today? You know, with him being regressed and all?" Bad asked warmly causing Sapnap to smile. Bad always looked out for everyone. It was part of why he loved his friend. </p><p>Sapnap gazed down at Karl who was still fiddling with his plush and hummed softly to catch the little's attention. "Hey Karl, you feel up to hiking? If not, you and I can stay here for today." He offered softly, not wanting the boy to feel pressured into going, but thankfully, Karl beamed brightly and gave a nod. </p><p>"Yeah, let's go!" He said happily, bouncing just a bit in excitement. </p><p>Once breakfast was finished, the boys loaded up small backpacks for their hiking trip and make their way out into the trail that led off their camping sight. Karl, being as stubborn as he was, ended up in Sapnap's hoodie, claiming it was "his most favorite comfort item", and who was Sapnap to argue something as sweet as that? So now, the two boys trailed a hand in hand behind the other four, occasionally stopping to look at small butterflies that flew past them or pretty little flowers that lined the path they walked on. It didn't matter that the others were practically out of their sight, they were safe in a group, and the others knew that Sapnap had been an eagle scout. If Karl was safest with anyone while in the woods, it would most certainly be Sapnap. </p><p>Sapnap didn't mind the delay in their adventure, being with Karl simply made it worth it, and the look on the little boy's face when they finally arrived at the waterfall made it that much better. Glossy blue eyes with wide pupils, cute flushed cheeks from all the walking they had done, a cute giddy bounce in his step as they approached the edge of the water; Sapnap swore Karl was perfect and simply didn't know it. The two boys spent quite a while there, doing simply whatever Karl felt like doing. They switched between skipping stones on the water to singing karaoke on the large rock that jutted out into the middle of the water pool, to doing nothing but sitting together and looking at the waterfall together. </p><p>Sapnap wasn't entirely sure when it happened, or what had happened, he just knew that he saw small drips of blood beginning to fall next to his hand. Glancing down at his arm, he noticed a small scratch had found its way along his forearm. It wasn't anything worrisome - clearly, he hadn't even felt it there. It was hardly an injury, just barely deep enough to break the skin and draw blood, but when Karl took notice of it, he very obviously did not feel the same way. </p><p>"Sappy, you bleedin'!" He whined out worriedly, a small frown etching across his face. </p><p>Sapnap gave the little a reassuring smile and hummed. "It's okay, Sweetie. It doesn't even hurt. I have a first aid kit, too! I've just got to fix it up and I'll be all better, I promise." He said, going to move from his place on the rock to grab his backpack before he was promptly pushed back down. </p><p>"Nu-uh, Mister! You hurt! I'm gonna take care of you!" He said firmly before scurrying off. </p><p>Sapnap slowly relaxed back on the rock and watched Karl with an adoring smile as the little dug through his bag before triumphantly pulling out the first aid kit. He scurried back to Sapnap and plopped down in front of him. Sapnap allowed Karl to do what he wanted, giving only soft guidance on how to clean the scratch so it wouldn't get infected. Karl's fluffy hair fell in front of his face as he focused on making sure he was doing it right and didn't hurt Sapnap in the process, which the caregiver found heartwarming. Karl dug through the box to find the perfectly sized band-aid before being sure to place it just right on his arm, his tongue poking out of his mouth in concentration.</p><p>"There! I did it!" He said with a beam, looking up to Sapnap with wide, happy eyes.</p><p>Sapnap smiled and gently ruffled his hair. "Thank you so much, baby. You're the sweetest, you know that? How did I get so lucky?" He asked with a smile.</p><p>Karl's face heated with a happy flush, and he let out a happy giggle. The boys packed up the first aid kit and picked up the backpack. Sapnap let Karl wear the backpack and agreed to give the boy a piggyback ride home. The walk back was much quicker and smoother. Karl had begun dozing off by the time they got back, and when the others would ask where they had been all day, Sapnap would let Karl give a dramatic retelling of their adventures, occasionally giving his own input as well. Everyone would listen with interest, and match their reactions with the same dramatics that Karl was telling the stories in, and everyone would also agree, and Karl easily told the best campfire stories they had ever heard.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Let It Snow!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo, and Wilbur CG!Techno and Philza</p><p>As Christmas time grew near, the littles grew restless with the excitement of Christmas spirit. Living with Dadza was cool and all, but visiting big brother Techno was even cooler! Especially when he took them sledding.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Soft white snow coated the ground in thick blankets, small white crystals still falling from the sky even as the sun rose. Icicles of varying sizes hung from the trees, casting gorgeous glints of light when the rays of the sun beamed down on them just right. No animals were in sight, having likely all scattered to warmer biomes to escape the harsh wind and cold temperatures that late winter in a snow biome often brought. </p><p>On the edge of a thick forest was a small log cabin, torches illuminating both the inside and out giving it a welcoming and homey feel to anyone passing by; not that anyone would be traveling in conditions like this, but it was always something the small family living in the snow biome thought about. Inside the cabin, an overwhelming sense of excitement and wonder was spread between the six members of the house. Four sets of eyes struggled to peer out of the biggest window of the cabin, their bodies weakly attempting to push each other out of the way in a desperate attempt to get a better look at the snow. A fluffy blonde-haired boy attempted to help another look out the window, shoving into the taller boy next to him with curly brown hair who only returned the shove. The smaller boys wiggled to the front of the window, excited brown eyes and equally as intrigued bright green eyes stared in awe at the snow that had still yet to stop falling. </p><p>A man stood back and watched with a smile. His heart warmed at the sight of the brothers' excitement, something he had found to be a rarity recently. He heard a set of footsteps stop to the left of him. Soft blue eyes shifted to look at the man next to him, and his expression softened to a look of contentment. </p><p>"They adore coming to visit you, you know. I never see them get as excited as they are while here." He spoke softly, hoping not to distract the boys from their interaction. </p><p>The man's gaze shifted from the boys to look over at the man he stood next to, a short piece of light pink hair falling in his face as he did so. "They don't adore visiting me. They just like getting to see the snow." He responded quietly, though his voice carried soft tones of amusement. </p><p>The shorter chuckled and shook his head. "Can you blame them? This is the only time they get to see it. Besides. Tomorrow is Christmas. It just makes it that much more magical, you know?"</p><p>The taller let out a small huff, the shadows of a smile gracing his lips. "Yeah. I suppose you're right." He murmured before shifting his gaze to a smaller boy who now stood before the two men. </p><p>"Dada, Techie, can we go play in the snow now?" The small boy murmured, a child-like hope gleaming in his eyes as he beamed up at the two older men. </p><p>The shorter of the two smiled and gently ruffled the brunette's hair. "Of course we can, baby." He said softly, shifting his gaze to the taller. "Techno, would you mind helping me get the boys dressed?" He asked warmly, offering a polite smile.</p><p>The taller man simply hummed softly and gave a nod. "Of course, Phil." He stated, red eyes shifting to look at the three littles that remained by the window. "Tommy, Wilbur, come on. We've got to get dressed if we're going to go outside." He ushered softly.</p><p>Bright blue eyes and deep chocolate ones snapped over to him before they stumbled over their own feet to get to the man, occasionally shoving each other to try and get to him first. Techno allowed a small smile to pull at his lips as he led the two boys into his room to get changed. </p><p>Phil smiled warmly and laid a hand on the small boy's shoulder who was still in front of him and motioned the last boy over. The green-eyed boy shuffled over to the other two, looking up at his caregiver curiously. "Okay boys, we're going to get you all layered up so you can go out and play. Does that sound okay?" He asked the boys with a smile, earning over-eager nods and blinding grins.</p><p>"Okay," Phil said with a soft chuckle as he made his way over to the chest they often kept the boy's spare clothes in. "The yellow jacket for one Tubbo," He said matter of factly, earning a small giggle from the small brunette boy as he grasped the jacket, struggling only slightly to slide it on. "And a purple one for Mr. Ranboo!" Phil said perkily, handing the dark purple coat to the green-eyes boy. </p><p>It took several minutes, but eventually, the two men had all four boys bundled up and ready to go outside. The boys were each decked out in their favorite colors: Tommy in red, Wilbur in orange, Tubbo in yellow, and Ranboo in purple. Not only did it make the boys happy to be in their favorite colors, but it also allowed the caregivers to easily tell the boys apart while running around in the snow. </p><p>All bundled up, the six boys made their way into the crisp air of an early morning in the winter. The four boys instantly ran off into the snow, small giggles erupting through the air almost instantaneously. Phil and Techno watched with warm smiles as Tubbo encouraged the other boys to try and catch snowflakes on their tongues. Tubbo spun around in circles while staring at the sky with a small giggle before finding himself dizzy and falling back into the snow. Wilbur stared at Tubbo for a long minute before flopping down, letting out a happy little laugh.</p><p>"C'mon, Tub! Let's make snow angels!" He exclaimed softly. </p><p>"Wait, I wanna make a snow angel!" Tommy whined, laying himself down next to Wilbur.</p><p>Ranboo hummed in agreement and plopped down on the other side of Tubbo. The four boys grinned as they made their snow angels, their hands occasionally brushing together, earning other small bursts of giggles to erupt. </p><p>"Dad, Techie, come look at our snow angels!" Tommy called out giddily. </p><p>Phil and Techno made their way over to the littles and helped them all stand, careful not to mess up the small row of snow angels. "This is so beautiful, boys. Good job!" Phil cooed softly.</p><p>Techno smiled and looked over the boys. "Do you guys want to go sledding?" He asked softly, earning various responses of confirmation. </p><p>Techno walked off, returning a few moments later with a few wooden sleds. "Alright, I only have three sleds, so we have to partner up. Is that okay?"</p><p>Tommy clapped excitedly and gave a nod. "I wanna go with Wilby!" He claimed loudly, and no one seemed to object to this except for Wilbur who let out a playful whine of disagreement. </p><p>Phil simply smiled as Wilbur and Tommy began aimlessly bickering about who would get to ride in the front. Neither Phil nor Techno had much of a problem with the boys riding together. After all, it made sense for the two boys who were older in their mental regression to be able to go together and leave the younger boys with their caregivers. </p><p>After a short moment of listening to their bickering, Techno felt a small tug on his cape. Moving his gaze downward, he saw Ranboo standing before him, sheepishly fiddling with his fingers. "I ride wif you?" He murmured softly, almost as though he was embarrassed to be asking. </p><p>Techno smiled softly and gently ruffled the boy's light brown hair. "Of course you can buddy." He assured softly before looking between the other four. "Who wants to race to the bottom?" </p><p>Wilbur and Tommy seemed to instantly stop bickering as they scrambled to climb on their sled. They had apparently come to the conclusion that Tommy would get to ride in front. Either that or Tommy simply sat in front and Wilbur was too excited to race to care. Phil sat on the sled and held Tubbo in his lap. He allowed the boy to clutch onto him as Phil himself gripped onto the sled to keep them steady. Techno sat up in the middle of the other two. Ranboo sat in front of him, both boys gripping onto the handles of the sled.</p><p>"Okay, ready, set, go!" Techno exclaimed, and off everybody went. </p><p>Small screams of excitement and childish laughter bounced off the trees around them as the sleds skidded and slid down the hill. When they reached the bottom, it had been fairly obvious that Techno and Ranboo had reached the bottom first, but with Tommy being Tommy, a rematch was declared, and so they hiked back up the hill to repeat the process. And they continued for a while until Wilbur grew bored of this and declared he wanted to have a snowball fight.</p><p>Tommy was certain that after so many losses to Techno and Ranboo in their sledding races, he could absolutely beat them in a snowball fight. It truly couldn't be that hard! And so the two teams set out to building forts they would be able to take cover behind. Tubbo didn't have much of a desire to get involved in the snowball fight. In fact, Phil had noticed Tubbo losing his desire to be involved in general. </p><p>As they climbed off the sled, Phil had carefully scooped Tubbo into his arms and began making his way back to the cabin. "Are you tired little one? Do you want to rest for just a bit?"</p><p>Tubbo let out a soft, groggy noise and gave a small nod, resting his head on Phil's shoulder. Phil carried the boy into the cabin and gently set him in front of the fireplace. He made quick work of stripping the little from his winter gear, leaving him in his final layer, which had been a pair of sweatpants and a baggy yellow sweater. Tubbo seemed to be having trouble staying awake, staring at Phil with heavy, half-lidded eyes as he swayed from side to side in an attempt to keep stable. Phil smiled softly and gently laid the boy on the couch, tucking him beneath a thick fuzzy blanket. He grabbed the yellow and white pacifier from a nearby chest and gently coaxed it between the younger's lips before leaving him to rest, moving to watch the four that remained outside.</p><p>Outside, a great snowball war raged on. Techno had quickly learned that Tommy and Wilbur were relentless, and Ranboo didn't really like getting involved. So the two had found a comfortable system where Ranboo made them snowballs and Techno threw them. Though they were at a clear disadvantage, the two boys were having fun regardless, and it warmed Techno to see Wilbur and Tommy genuinely getting along and having fun as well. Eventually, Tommy had had enough and slumped down. </p><p>"Can you surrender already, Techie? My hands are cold." He whined out softly. </p><p>Techno's lips twitched up in an amused smirk as he glanced out at Ranboo who was sitting behind their barrier, slumped against it tiredly. "What do you say, buddy? Should we surrender and go in? Warm-up and take a nap?" He asked softly, earning a small nod in response, a yawn following soon after. </p><p>Techno hummed and looked back to Tommy and Wilbur, holding his hands up in defeat. "Alright, we surrender. You win."</p><p>Wilbur's eyes narrowed, the boy letting out a distrusting huff. "Oh yeahs? Where's your partner, den?" He questioned with narrowed eyes, causing Techno to chuckle softly. He had definitely taught Wilbur a little too much about the ways of war.</p><p>"Half asleep against the barrier." He said honestly before standing, carefully scooping the small boy into his arms, getting no protest from the younger in response. "Come on. Why don't we go in? I'm sure Phil can make some hot chocolate, and I think Ranboo needs to nap." He said softly, watching as Tommy and Wilbur quickly stood and trotted to his side at the mention of their favorite chocolatey drink.</p><p>Techno smiled and led them back into the cabin, opening the door and allowing the two littles to barrel in before he followed. Tommy and Wilbur were already tugging off their winter gear by the time Techno had even set Ranboo in a chair to take the layers off of the boy. Phil leaned against the window and watched the boys in amusement before looking to Techno, speaking in a hushed voice to assure he didn't wake Tubbo who was still napping peacefully.</p><p>"What has them so excited?" He questioned.</p><p>Techno hummed as he hung Ranboo's clothes up to dry as he glanced at Phil. "I promised them hot chocolate. Ranboo needed to come in and nap."</p><p>Phil chuckled a bit and nodded. "Ah, figures. Good thing I made it ahead of time." He mused, sending Techno a knowing wink. </p><p>"Baba, do we get out cocoa now?" Wilbur whined a bit, looking over to Techno. </p><p>Techno smiled and held a finger to his lip, motioning to Ranboo and Tubbo before nodding. "Of course. Phil will get it for you guys. He'll watch you guys if you want to go to your playroom." He offered softly, a silent offer to Phil that he would watch over the two littles that needed to rest. </p><p>Phil nodded and led Tommy and Tubbo to the kitchen while Techno settled in the chair, setting Ranboo in his lap. The boy curled up against his chest and gave another soft yawn. Techno held a purple and black pacifier up to the boy's mouth, which he happily took as he drifted to sleep.</p><p>The excitement in the air was high, but Techno and Phil didn't mind. After all, it was Christmas eve, and they were going to get to spend the holiday together as a family; without the stress and drama of the rest of the SMP.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. There's No Place Like Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo CG!Schlatt</p><p>Schlatt hadn't meant to become a teen dad, and perhaps the guilt of having to give up his child because of his inability to care for them at such a young age is what led to his alcohol problem. However, perhaps all he needed was to connect with a particular little that reminded him of the son he once had, giving him the chance to be the dad he never got to be.</p><p>Warnings: Veeeeery angsty, death, alcoholism, betrayal, depression</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Screams filled the small as a boy sat next to the beautiful girl on the table. Dirty blonde hair clung to her face with sweat, and the boy took the extra moment to gently brush it away. Bright blue eyes, dulled with exhaustion, stared back at him, and for a moment, they simply smiled, both forgetting about the inevitable to come. The smile morphed to pain and another scream erupted into the room. The boy winced at the continuously tightening grip the woman kept on his hand, but never once did he complain. He would murmur soft words of encouragement to her, soft promises that everything would be alright, even if they both knew it was a lie. </p><p>The girl collapsed back into the bed, the soft but shrill sounds of a baby filled the room in place of her screams, and as a nurse rushed the baby out, the doctor began urgently telling the boy to keep his beauty awake. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently ran a hand through her hair, coaxing her fluttering eyes to stay open. </p><p>"Come on, baby, don't fall asleep on me yet. You're going to be okay." He spoke softly. </p><p>The hand he held gave a weak squeeze and he turned his gaze to the girl staring at him with half-lidded eyes. "Don't lie to yourself. It won't be okay, we knew that from month four," She murmured, words slurring together as exhaustion piled onto her. "Please don't make this harder for yourself. Just promise me you'll take care of him." </p><p>Small tears slid down his cheeks in searing tracks as he stared at the girl he loved so much. They were only sixteen. She didn't deserve this. "I promise. I won't let anything happen to him."</p><p>A weak smile crept along her face as she closed her eyes, giving his hand another faint squeeze. "I love you, Schlatt."</p><p>The boy felt himself choke on his words as he clutched her hand close. "I love you too, Minx." He said softly. </p><p>There wasn't another reply.</p><p>Power, power, power. That was all that swarmed Schlatt's mind as Wilbur announced the stupid coalition between himself and Quackity had pulled through and won him the election. Was it his favorite plan in the world? Absolutely not. It meant he would have to share power with Quackity to some extent, but it wasn't all that difficult to tell Quackity practically worshipped the ground Schlatt walked on, and he figured it wouldn't be hard to get away with only giving the man the bare minimum. </p><p>Schlatt glanced around and saw fear struck in the eyes of some, while cheers erupted from others. Schlatt didn't feel quite in his right frame of mind, to be completely honest. His mind was a bit foggy from the alcohol he had downed before the campaign, and his speech was decent, but he truly couldn't remember half of what he said. He scanned over the crowd and hummed into the microphone, catching everyone's attention. </p><p>"I would like to introduce my vice president now, Mr. Alex Quackity who helped me win this position." He stated firmly, hoping that his speech wasn't too sloppy, and it wasn't incredibly obvious he was drunk. </p><p>His eyes eventually landed on Tommy, Tubbo, and Wilbur, and a small smirk crept to his face. "As your new president, I would like to call my first act into motion. This nation is no longer going to be run by a bunch of brits who know nothing of power- who so easily gave up their nation for nothing! This is why I am calling an exile on Tommyinnit and Wilbur Soot, who are now banned from the wonderful nation of Manburg."</p><p>Small gasps sounded around the arena and even Quackity himself looked a bit panicked about this new information. Schlatt went to speak his mind on Tubbo as well, but when he made eye contact with the boy, he found himself hesitating. Big brown eyes stared at him with a frightened expression, a look of concern and worry etched across his face. Schlatt felt his heart twist as he cleared his throat, and began speaking before he could fully think through his plan.</p><p>"And Tubbo, Tubbo, I would like for you to come up here with me. You're going to be our Secretary of State, my right-hand man." He said, ignoring the looks of confusion and soft murmurs that spread across the area. </p><p>"I-I, what?" Tubbo stuttered out, shifting his weight nervously as he glanced between Quackity and Schlatt. </p><p>"Get up on the podium, man! Do you not want the position?" Quackity questioned, quirking an eyebrow.</p><p>Tubbo stuttered over his words before they all came tumbling out of his mouth at once. "No, of course, I want the position! I was just surprised!" He stated, beginning to make his way up to the podium. </p><p>"Tubbo, what?" Tommy breathed out in hurt, reaching out to grab his friend's arm, only to miss by an inch. </p><p>"I think you guys need to go before he does something worse," Tubbo advised his friends softly before moving to stand next to Schlatt.</p><p>Schlatt beamed and threw an arm around Tubbo's shoulder. "What, did you guys think I was going to fire this guy? How could I? It's Tubbo, I love this kid!" Schlatt said with a small laugh, watching in satisfactory as Wilbur and Tommy rushed out of Manburg to find shelter elsewhere.</p><p>Exhausted, exhausted, exhausted. That was all that swarmed Schlatt's mind as he gently bounced the small bundled baby in his arms. It was four in the morning, and Schlatt had hardly gotten an hour of sleep. He knew being a dad would be hard, but not like this. He was beginning to doubt his ability to do it. He didn't have Minx there to help him, and he didn't have his family's support either. He was only sixteen for crying out loud! He had to drop out of school, and he was falling behind on rent. His job wasn't paying enough to support them, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to find one that would hire a single teen parent for better pay. </p><p>Schlatt collapsed down into the nearby rocking chair and carefully held the baby bottle to his child's lips. Big brown eyes gazed up at him as he drank the milk without hesitance. Schlatt relaxed and smiled. He loved his son. He was a good kid. Restless, sure, but good. He was never fussy, never took anything for granted, and was perhaps the most cuddly baby Schlatt had ever met. It was almost as though his son knew when Schlatt was having bad days and wanted to make him feel better any way he could. </p><p>Schlatt gently stroked the back of his finger down the small boy's cheek as he rocked him.  He watched the baby's eyes grow droopy, and a small hand reached up to grasp the finger that had been stroking his cheek. Schlatt felt his heart rate pick up as he stared at his son with nothing less than admiration and smiled. He allowed the baby to hold his finger, and truthfully couldn't find it in himself to move from his position in the chair, and eventually drifted to sleep there himself, holding his son close.</p><p>Schlatt sat at his desk in his new office, staring at the only two pictures he ever kept with him. They were the only two pictures he ever needed, really. One was of him and a woman. She had long, dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes. A younger version of Schlatt stood behind her, his arms draped over her shoulders and he kissed her cheek with a smile. The woman's smile was infectious as she held onto the arms wrapped around her and leaned into Schlatt's hold. They seemed happy, and emotion Schlatt withheld, never showing anyone anymore. Small tears pricked his eyes as he stared at the picture, yet a small, sad smile crept to his face as well. He loved her. He would never love anyone else, but he refused to remember her in a miserable light. She was a boisterous spirit, someone whose memory deserves better than anguish. </p><p>Slowly shifting his gaze to the second gaze, Schlatt felt his smile fall. It was a picture of a small boy with fluffy brown hair and beaming brown eyes. He wore a small, but contagious grin - he had his mother's smile. He clutched a small bee plush close, it had been the only real toy Schlatt was able to buy him for his birthday, and the boy made sure Schlatt knew he treasured it every day. The boy couldn't have been older than two in the picture, and unlike when looking at the mother's picture, Schlatt felt miserable. He felt struck down with guilt and overridden with the sense of wrongdoing. His arrogance would never let it show how sullen he truly felt at any given time but on days like this, he wondered what happened to his son, and if he was doing okay now.</p><p>Small tears hit the glass of the picture frame the boy's picture had been kept in. It had become an unhealthy routine, really. Bottle everything up until the dam broke and then mourn alone until he couldn't handle himself and his vulnerability.</p><p>And then came the bottle.</p><p>Schlatt gripped the bottle of vodka that sat on his desk tightly in his trembling hand before taking a harsh swig of it. He didn't care how terrible it tasted, nothing would taste more terrible than his past fuck ups, and if the alcohol could wash away the grief he carried, even if it were for just a moment, he would drink until he passed out. But the door open, and Schlatt wasn't sure whether to be angry or grateful for his vice president's timing.</p><p>"Schlatt, Mr. President, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I think something is wrong with Tubbo, and I don't know what to do."</p><p>Schlatt couldn't cry, he had to be strong for his boy. This was because of him, after all, so who was he to cry?  His boy clung to him tightly as he walked into the orphanage, and Schlatt himself was wanting to refuse to let go. He had called a month prior and explained his situation. They were nice enough to let him keep his son for the month, but they had called the week before and said they found someone to adopt him, so he wouldn't even have to stay in the center; which Schlatt was internally grateful for. He had assured it was a closed adoption. The adopter wouldn't get to know who he was, and he wouldn't get to know who they were. He told himself it was better that way.</p><p>Schlatt gently set his boy down and stroked a hand through his hair. The boy looked at him with big, teary eyes and sniffled. "Don' wanna leave, papa." He stuttered out softly. </p><p>Schlatt could feel his heartbreak. He wasn't even three yet, and somewhere in him, Schlatt hoped the boy would be too young to remember this as he grew up. "I don't want to leave either, bee. But I promise you're going to be happy, okay? I would never let you be sad."</p><p>The boy whined and buried himself in his father's chest. "But m'sad now!"</p><p>Schlatt swallowed thickly and forced himself to stay strong. He had to stay strong. "You won't be for long bee, I promise."</p><p>They were able to stay like this until the social worker came to collect the boy and bring him to his new family. The child clutched a bee plushy close to his chest and stared at his father with saddened eyes, but the man simply gave a small, comforting smile. "We'll see each other again, I promise. I love you, Toby." He said softly before forcing himself to leave, despite the boy crying after him.</p><p>How could a father make a decision like that? It was an impossible choice, really. The choice to give up a child you loved more than life itself. But it was the fact that he loved his boy more than life itself that gave him the power to do it. After all, how can he truly say he loved his boy if he dragged him out on the streets with him? The eviction notice on their door a month ago told him he needed to let go and give his son a better chance at life than he could provide, and it was his love for him that let him do so. </p><p>Schlatt had carefully tucked the pictures of his once family into his desk drawer before making his way to Toby's room. He wasn't quite sure what to expect, Quackity hadn't really elaborated on "something being wrong", but he took responsibility for the boy and made his way there regardless. Giving a soft knock, Schlatt pushed the door open and frowned when he spotted the younger. Tubbo was curled up on his bed, hugging his knees to his chest as fresh tears rolled down his cheeks. </p><p>Schlatt felt his stomach churn. Waves of deja vu washed over him in heavy waves, the scene before him feeling all too familiar, and for a moment, he swore instead of Tubbo, he saw a two-year-old boy curled up on his father's bed after a bad dream and seeking comfort. Shaking his head, Schlatt rubbed his eyes. He was just drunk, surely. His mind was just playing tricks on him. </p><p>Schlatt slowly crept forward and sat on the edge of Tubbo's bed, gently placing a hand on the younger's knee. "Tubbo, buddy? Everything okay?" He questioned.</p><p>Tubbo gave a small nod and sniffled, burying his face into his knees. "Miss Wilby n'Tommy." He murmured, his voice a bit higher and slightly squeakier than Schlatt was used to hearing. </p><p>Schlatt swallowed thickly and gently brushed his hand through his hair. "Why do you miss them?" He asked after a moment, though knew it was a bit of a stupid question.</p><p>"Dey my bwovers. Take cawe of me." He murmured, his speech slightly muffled by his knees, but Schlatt didn't need it to be any clearer. It had already clicked for him. He was little. Regressed. He had read about this somewhere in one of his many drunk ventures, though he couldn't exactly remember how or why.</p><p>Schlatt hummed softly and continued to gently mess with his hair, smiling a bit to himself when he saw Tubbo lean into the touch. So what if he was being a bit selfish. Of course, he'd want to care for the younger. The boy reminded him of his own son, but it wasn't hurting anyone. It's not like any of them even knew he had a son, to begin with. </p><p>"Do you want me to take care of you, Tubbo?" Schlatt offered softly, watching as the boy stared at him with wide eyes that sent his heart spiraling. </p><p>"Chu'd do that?" He asked softly, slowly uncurling himself from his tensed position. </p><p>Schlatt just hummed softly and nodded, allowing the boy to curl into his side almost instantly upon the confirmation. "How little do you feel, buddy?" He asked softly, glancing down at Tubbo. </p><p>The boy thought long and hard before holding up two fingers. There was a pause before he stuck a third up, and another pause before he put it back down, a frustrated look crossing his face. Schlatt chuckled a bit and ran a hand through his hair again. "It's okay not to know, bud, don't worry," He assured softly before looking around. "Do you have any little stuff you want to use?" He asked softly.</p><p>Tubbo nodded lightly in response and slowly peeled away from Schlatt's side. He waddled over to his ender chest before tossing out a soft yellow blanket, a simple white pacifier, and a bottle. Schlatt watched him linger in the chest a moment longer before finally closing in. When the boy turned back around to face him, Schlatt felt his mouth run dry, and his throat clenched up. Clutched to the small boy's chest, was a small bee plush. The color was faded, and strings were beginning to fade. It's clear that it wasn't new, in fact, it likely rather old, but it seemed as though it had been taken wonderful care of over the years. </p><p>Schlatt felt his heartbeat pick up as he slowly shifted his gaze back to Tubbo. He spoke softly, his voice cracking ever so softly, and his voice gave away the fact that he was on the verge of tears. "Bee..?"</p><p>The reaction was instantaneous. Tubbo's head snapped up to look at him, lips falling apart in a small tremble as tears built up in his eyes, a small whimper sounding from the back of his throat as he spoke tentatively. "Papa?" He questioned, in a voice just above a whisper.</p><p>Schlatt's eyes burned as tears began falling. He choked on sobs of relief and guilt as he hung his head and just let the tears come. Tubbo was quick to climb into Schlatt's lap, practically throwing himself in his father's arms as he nuzzled himself close, burying his face in his shoulder. </p><p>"Papa, don' cry." He whined out softly, causing Schlatt to choke out a laugh. It had been fifteen years and the boy hadn't changed a bit.</p><p>"I'm sorry, bee. I've just missed you so much. I'm so happy to get to see my beautiful boy again." Schlatt said softly watching as Tubbo pulled away with a small flush. </p><p>"Knew we would, papa. Told me we would! Pwomised we'd see each ovewr again! Member?" He stated with a beaming grin causing Schlatt to give a wobbly smile. </p><p>"Yeah, bee. I remember." He promised softly, brushing the hair away from the boy's eyes. </p><p>Schlatt knew he would have a lot to explain when Tubbo was big again, and he knew there would be a lot for them to catch up on. He only hoped Tubbo would be as excited to see him then as he was now. However, for now, he chose to live in the moment, holding his little boy close and promising he'd never let him go again; no matter what obstacles they had to overcome to make that happen.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Don't Go Baking My Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Wilbur CG!Niki</p><p>Niki loved her small bakery but loved it even more when her favorite little stopped by to help for while.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Things on the SMP had been tense for a long while. The constant sneaking around between the SMP and Manberg certainly didn't leave much energy for Wilbur, Tommy, or Tubbo. All of the boys took to their own ways of relaxing. Tommy and Tubbo would often sneak out together with Techno, the older always getting into wooden swordfights with Tommy to allow the younger to blow off steam (whilst helping the boy practice PVP), while Tubbo would watch the sunset, listening to his friend goof off. Wilbur, however, had a much different way of taking time off and relaxing. It was risky, certainly, but it was well worth the payoff every time.</p><p>Wilbur wandered quietly through the darkness of the SMP territory. Wilbur knew being out at nighttime was dangerous, but he didn't mind. Dodging poorly shot arrows from skeletons and outrunning zombies felt easy enough, and it was never really a troubling task to simply avoid the endermen and creepers that may choose to lurk about. Wilbur's feet shuffled against soft dirt as he hugged his large yellow sweater closer to his body. A grey beanie hung loosely on his head to keep his ears from getting cold as the night grew chillier, and Wilbur was grateful he had thought far enough in advance to put it on because as the night grew later, the wind came with a small bite to it that left the man with pink cheeks and freezing fingers. </p><p>Wilbur could feel himself growing giddy as he neared the only building left in Manberg with its lights on. Small giggles escaped the boy's lips and before he could stop himself, he took off running to the building, practically barreling through the front door. A small gasp of surprise sounded through the empty building, followed by a small laugh. </p><p>"Well hello, Wilbur! I'm so glad you came by tonight!" Niki said sweetly, pulling a fresh cake out of the oven. </p><p>Wilbur didn't even try to stop himself from slipping. Niki simply had that effect on him, one that made him feel so small so fast but in the best way possible. Wilbur giggled a small bit and shuffled over, plopping down in his usual stool next to the counter Niki often decorated at. </p><p>"Missed you." He mumbled softly, swinging his legs aimlessly from where he sat. </p><p>A warm smile graced Niki's lips as she gently ruffled the hair that peeked out from Wilbur's beanie, earning a giggle from the little. "I missed you too, sunshine. It's been a while since you visited."</p><p>Wilbur whined softly, bottom lip jutting out in a small pout. "M'sorry, mama. Wanna come see you morwe, pwomise." He whined out, squirming in his seat. </p><p>Niki let out a soft chuckle and shook her head adoringly. "You're too sweet, Wil," She cooed softly. "It's okay, I promise. Besides, it gave me time to plan what we can do tonight!"</p><p>Wilbur's gaze snapped up to Niki in a look of excitement, the pout was long forgotten, and the boy was seeming intrigued. "Wha we doin'?" He asked softly, as though he was trying to hold back his excitement. </p><p>"We're going to make cookies!" Niki exclaimed softly, doing a little twirl just for dramatics, but it made Wilbur laugh, so it was well worth the extra energy to her. </p><p>"An' den we get to eat dem?" Wilbur asked hopefully, squirming in his seat again. </p><p>"If you're super good while we make them, I promise you'll get to eat some." She said with a firm nod, though the smile never left her face. </p><p>Wilbur stuck his pinky out and shoved it towards Niki, giving her a small grin. "Pinky pwomise?"</p><p>Niki laughed softly but gently hooked their pinkies together, giving a small nod. "I pinky promise." She said, earning a small, gleeful squeal from the boy.</p><p>The two set out to work. Niki had Wilbur grab the flour and sugar while she grabbed the eggs, milk, and butter. Baking with a little was never easy, but Niki wouldn't trade her time with Wilbur for the world. There were few other people who knew about Wilbur's regression. Tommy and Tubbo were obviously well aware, and so was Techno. From what Niki could tell, Wilbur was never really the best behaved for them. Techno would tell her how the boy would fight him on any little thing he asked the boy to do, or purposely break the rules he knew he wasn't supposed to. And Niki, truthfully, found all of this amusing, simply because she never had to deal with it. Wilbur was always so good to her. He never broke rules, and always felt guilty when he did, and he never talked back like the other three claimed he did. He was always very behaved, and simply the perfect little boy for her. He was her little ray of sunshine.</p><p>Until baking was involved.</p><p>Niki wouldn't exactly call herself a control freak, she loved baking with Wilbur and knew how it would end every time she suggested it. However, she couldn't help but panic just a bit when she saw Wilbur's hands and face covered in the flour that he had been attempting to pour into the bowl all by himself. Wilbur gazed at her with teary eyes. Niki could tell the boy didn't mean to make a mess, and she knew he likely thought he was going to be in trouble for it at well.</p><p>"Didn' means to make a mess.." He whined softly. "Was tryna poow, an' it jus' spiwlt." He tried explaining, though whimpered slightly as he spoke of his mistake. </p><p>Niki's expression softened as she made her way to the little. She gave him a warm smile and shook her head, giving a playful tsk. "What am I ever going to do with you? Little boys like you shouldn't be getting into such big messes." She said with a playful glare, watching as Wilbur relaxed and perked up slightly at the playful tone his caregiver was using. "Come on, sunshine, let's get you all cleaned up." She said with a smile, helping the boy stand from the stool. </p><p>"Chu' awen't mad at me?" He asked in a small voice, refusing to make eye contact, though Niki could hear the hope in his voice. </p><p>"Of course not, you silly goose! It was just a mistake! Mistakes happen, right?" She assured softly.</p><p>She led the boy over to the sink and had the little wash his hand off while she gently wiped his face off with a wet rag. She would worry about cleaning the flour from the counters and floor when they were done baking, but for now, she wanted to make sure Wilbur was having fun. </p><p>It took about two hours before the cookies were baked and cooled. Sure, it may have taken twice as long to get them done, but Niki truly didn't mind. Wilbur was having a blast, and he had been very adamant about making their cookies heart-shaped, which Niki adored.</p><p>"Okay, sunshine, what colors do you want our icing to be?" Niki asked softly. </p><p>"I wan' all of dem!" Wilbur said with a firm nod. </p><p>Niki laughed softly and shook her head. "Baby, I have around forty colors. Can you please pick five or six?"</p><p>Wilbur whine and gave a small pout. "But mama, dat isn't faiwr. I wan' more colowr!"</p><p>Niki gave a small but firm glare that instantly had Wilbur quieting down. She knew he was really only being fussy because it was late and he was tired, but she still wasn't going to accept the attitude. </p><p>"Otay..." He finally said after a moment before speaking. "Um, I wan' Red, n'pink, an' um, yewwo, n'bluwe, an owange, an' puwrple!" He said firmly.</p><p>Niki's expression graced back into a smile as she began coloring the icing for the cookies. Once the cookies had finally finished cooling, the two set to work on decorating. Niki didn't mind the mess Wilbur was making, the look of joy on the little's face would make the cleanup more than worth it. She was glad she had thought ahead and put an apron on the boy because she swore Wilbur was wearing more of the icing than the cookies were. </p><p>"Look, mama! Made dis one fowr you!" Wilbur claimed, holding up a sloppily frosted heart cookie with pink icing and pastel purple sprinkles. </p><p>Niki cooed and gently took it from the boy. "Oh sunshine, it's beautiful! I love it so much!" She said happily, giving him a bright smile. "Look, I made one just for you too." She said, sliding over the heart cookie she had made for the little. </p><p>It was much neater. The cookie lined and filled perfectly with yellow icing, orange icing sprawled across the center in neat lettering that spelled 'My Sunshine'.  Wilbur let out a joyous little noise and quickly scooped it up. </p><p>"It's so pretty!" He exclaimed. </p><p>Niki laughed softly and set the piping bag down. "I'm glad you like it, Wil." She said softly. </p><p>"Can we eat the cookies now?" He asked sheepishly, a small bit of hair falling in front of his eyes. </p><p>Niki smiled and scanned all the cookies that had been decorated by them. "Of course, baby. But you can only have one right now. I'll make sure you can take the rest of them home with you though, okay?" She assured softly, earning an enthusiastic nod from the little. </p><p>The two picked up the cookies they made for one another and gently tapped them against each other in a makeshift cheer before contently eating their cookie. Wilbur's feet swung lightly as he ate, a small yawn escaping him a few moments later. </p><p>Niki smiled and finished her last bite before humming. "It's late, sunshine. You should go back to Pogtopia so you can get some sleep."</p><p>Wilbur whined softly and shook his head. "No, don' wanna. I wanna stay with you, mama." He said softly, rubbing at his eyes. </p><p>Niki sighed softly and frowned. "Wil, it will be near impossible to get you back home in the daytime, you know that."</p><p>Tears welled up in the tired boy's eyes as he looked at his caregiver. "But I don' wanna go home. Pwease don' make me, mama." He pleaded softly. </p><p>Niki felt her heartbreak as she stared at the boy in front of her. She slowly gave a hesitant nod and sighed. "Okay, sunshine. You can stay with me tonight. We'll figure out how to get you home in the morning," Wilbur's face lit up and Niki couldn't help but smile.</p><p>Maybe it wasn't the brightest plan to let Wilbur stay with her that night, especially since she had to sneak the boy back home early in the morning without anyone seeing. Of course, this didn't go to plan. Eret happened to be taking a walk and spotted Niki supporting a drowsy Wilbur through the woods with a small container of cookies clutched close to him. Niki had never been more grateful for Eret at that moment, because instead of having to defend herself, Eret simply motioned he would stay quiet and turned the other way.</p><p>Maybe their routine wasn't the best, and maybe it wasn't preferred, but they wouldn't trade it anything. Because even though it was complicated and risky, they still got to see each other. And that was all that mattered in the end.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Perfect Summer Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo CG!Tommy</p><p>When a walk through the park turns sour due to an injury, Tommy does his best to comfort his friend the only way he knows how. With ice cream!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun shone brightly along the dark grey concrete path that looped through the park; a rarity in weather, though one that nobody was going to complain about. Clouds drifted through the sky, enough to make the sky look like a painting, but not enough to block any of the rays beaming down from the sun. Children ran across the open field, some kicking a ball around, others flying kites. Some people walked loops around the paths, some on their own, others with friends or dogs, but in the middle of all of it stood two teenage boys; one with fluffy blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and the other with soft honey eyes and freckle adorned cheeks. </p><p>A perfect summer day had been bestowed upon them, and the fact that the older's parents were on a business trip just made it better! Tommy and Tubbo walked side by side along the concrete path, small chatter bouncing between the two of them. Tubbo had only arrived at Tommy's place last night and the boys had an entire week to spend together. They didn't want to rush into things. They had decided to just spend the day hanging out, Tommy having agreed to show Tubbo some of his favorite places around town. They had brought a vlog camera with them, just so they could catch small bits and pieces of their day and hopefully put it in a compilation later on. </p><p>Tommy had pulled out the vlog camera as they spotted a small flower patch. Tubbo had spotted a bee, and the boys knew they had to play into their bit, no matter how stupid it may seem, and it was stupid. People around them stared in confusion as the two teens rushed up to the flowers in pure excitement, Tubbo pointing at a small dandelion. </p><p>"Oh my god, Tommy! Look at the bees!" Tubbo squealed out, earning a laugh from the boy holding the camera. </p><p>"Look! Tubbo like-a da bee." Tommy stated, mocking the original joke that was far too played out but far too loved to be let go. </p><p>The boys giggled amongst themselves as a woman glared at them whilst walking past with her dog. Tommy turned the camera to face them as they moved to walk side by side once more and glanced at Tubbo. "That was not a happy woman. She was probably American." Tommy muttered bitterly causing Tubbo to laugh. </p><p>"Not all women you don't like are American, Tommy," Tubbo said with an amused smile.</p><p>Tommy scoffed and huffed. "I beg to differ, my friend!"</p><p>The boys held a playful glare at one another before eventually just laughing and moving on from the conversation. People in the park were still giving them weird looks, but the boys thought nothing of it until a man shoulder-checked Tubbo quite roughly while walking past them, sending the smaller stumbling to the concrete. Tommy whirled around, being sure to capture the man on camera before glaring.</p><p>"Hey, asshole! What was that for?" Tommy barked, protectively standing in front of Tubbo.</p><p>The man rolled his eyes and shot Tommy a small glare. "You and your friend are being disruptive. Maybe you should have been watching where you were going." The man snipped back before continuing to walk. </p><p>Tommy was about to snap back with a response but stopped short when he felt a soft tug at the hem of his shirt. Glancing down, Tommy saw Tubbo staring up at him from his place on the ground with tears filling his eyes. Tommy was quick to snap the camera shut and tuck it away again before kneeling next to his friend. </p><p>"Tubbo? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked almost instantly, a sense of protectiveness swelling within him upon seeing his friend appear so vulnerable. </p><p>"My knees and hands hurt," Tubbo responded softly, his voice just above a whisper and on the verge of cracking.</p><p>Tommy frowned softly and gently took ahold of Tubbo's wrists. He turned the boy's hands over and looked over the small scrapes he had gotten from trying to catch himself from falling. "Oh buddy, it's okay," Tommy assured softly. "You're just a little scraped up, but it's nothing bad." </p><p>"It burns," Tubbo whined softly, wiggling a bit as he sat. </p><p>Tommy frowned softly in contemplation. He didn't have a first aid kit or a car. He wasn't old enough to drive, and it was about a twenty-minute walk home. Tubbo wasn't genuinely injured that badly, but it wasn't too difficult to tell his friend had gotten overwhelmed and slipped. Tubbo never had dealt well with pain of any sort while little. Tommy bit his lip before giving Tubbo a warm smile. </p><p>"Okay buddy, here's what we're going to do. I need you to be really strong for me for just a few minutes. I'm going to bring us somewhere to get you all cleaned up, and as a reward for being so brave for me, we can get ice cream, how does that sound?" </p><p>Tubbo sniffled softly and pulled his hands away from Tommy, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hands before gazing up at him. "Ice cweam?" He mumbled softly, causing Tommy to give a wide grin and energetic nod. </p><p>"Oh, absolutely! And I'll let you get sprinkles and chocolate chips and whatever toppings you want!" Tommy exclaimed, playfully poking Tubbo's stomach, causing the boy to giggle and curl in on himself to protect his stomach from more pokes. </p><p>"M'kay. Tanks Tommy." Tubbo murmured happily, rubbing at his eyes again. </p><p>"Oh, of course," Tommy said with a smile. "Now, how do your knees feel? Do you want me to carry you?" He questioned, earning a shy nod as a response. </p><p>Tommy smiled and gently lifted the boy up. There was a bit of a struggle to settled comfortably, but eventually, Tubbo wrapped his legs around Tommy's waist and his arms looped around his neck. Tommy held Tubbo close as he walked down the street to a small ice cream parlor he knew well. When they got there, he took the little into the bathroom and gently washed the scrapes on his knees and palms, playfully kissing them better upon Tubbo's request. </p><p>The two boys made their way to the counter and ordered their ice creams. Tubbo had gotten a scoop of strawberry with chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, and gummy bears while Tommy opted for a scoop of cookie dough with bite-sized brownie chunks mixed in. The two boys sat next to a window, taking their time to enjoy their ice cream. Tommy would listen to Tubbo ramble aimlessly about whatever was on his mind, occasionally adding silly or unnecessary comments just to hear the boy laugh and giggle. </p><p>By the time they had finished their ice cream, it was beginning to grow dark and Tubbo's face was covered in ice cream. The boy was very obviously struggling to stay awake, but Tommy didn't mind. He carefully cleaned the boy up before leading him back outside. Tubbo had, luckily, seemed to forget about his injuries, but the boy seemed to be sleeping faster by the second, staring up at Tommy with a dazed-over look. </p><p>"Tommy, carwwy me?" He asked softly, voice laced with exhaustion as his words slurred together. </p><p>Tommy smiled softly and gave a nod, carefully picking the boy back up. "Of course buddy. You get some rest." He cooed softly as he began the journey back home. </p><p>Carrying Tubbo's dead weight for twenty-five minutes all the way back to his house was quite honestly less than ideal, but Tommy couldn't find it in himself to complain. His friend was comfortable and happy, meaning he was happy too; and he had succeeded in making sure the little had a perfect summer day.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Secrets Unkept</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Wilbur CG!Phil</p><p>Phil and Wilbur didn't get to meet up very often, but the excitement of getting to meet up after nearly a year got the best of them. Wilbur didn't mean to leave his diary out for Phil to see, and Phil didn't mean to let himself read through it, but neither can really say they were disappointed in the result.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A soft knock sounded through a cozy house in a cozy neighborhood. Soft footsteps padded down a staircase and approached a dark wooden door. The door was flung open and two friendly faces greeted each other with bright grins. </p><p>"Phil!"</p><p>"Wilbur! I'm so glad you made it, please come in!" </p><p>Phil stepped aside and closed the door as Wilbur walked in before promptly being tugged into a warm embrace by the younger. "I can't believe I'm actually here, this is crazy!" Wilbur mumbled softly, but Phil could hear the smile he wore through his words.</p><p>"I'm thrilled to have you here too, Wil. We're going to have a blast, I promise." He assured softly with a smile.</p><p>The boys pulled away from one another and took the time to allow Wilbur to settle into the guest room. When Wilbur made his way back downstairs, Kristen had made lunch for the two boys. She had insisted on going out for the day to allow the boys some time alone, which Wilbur was secretly grateful for, and after getting a kiss from her husband, the boys were left alone in the house with the delicious lunch of Jacket Potatoes. </p><p>The boys settled on the couch and contently ate their food while a TV show played quietly in the background. They spoke softly as conversation bounced between them, and Wilbur felt relaxed. The atmosphere was comforting, and their dynamic felt no different in person than it had online. </p><p>The day came and went, the boys decided to spend the day relaxing and catching up with one another. After all, Wilbur was there for about a week, there wasn't really a need to rush into anything. Wilbur wasn't sure what it was, perhaps it was the cozy environment that seemed to surround Phil's house, or perhaps it was the welcoming aura Phil seemed to never stop radiating, but Wilbur could feel himself slipping. It wasn't too bad, but he certainly didn't want to slip. Phil didn't know he was a little, and Wilbur felt it would be unfair to expect the man to take care of him; especially since he had already gone as far as to invite the younger into his home for a week. Wilbur was thankful he was mostly in control. His mind felt a bit fuzzy, and some of the jokes Phil occasionally made went over his head, but luckily, he was just able to claim he was tired and blame his 'lack of energy' on his poor responses within their conversation. </p><p>Phil was certainly suspicious that something was going on with Wilbur. The boy seemed a bit withdrawn from their conversation, his eyes holding a far-off look as Phil spoke to him about their upcoming Minecraft Championship, and he seemed to be ever so slowly slouching back into the couching, sinking into the cushions and ultimately into himself. Wilbur had claimed he was tired, but Phil knew the boy well enough to know it was something more than that. However, he trusted Wilbur well enough to believe the boy would come to him if he needed him, so he chose to look past the strange behavior for the time being. </p><p>By the time Kristen returned home, Wilbur knew he wouldn't be able to hold off littlespace much longer, especially with two very parental figures around. He gave Phil a tired smile and let out a small yawn. "Hey Phil, if it's okay, I think I'm going to turn in for the night. It's been a pretty long day, and I'm really exhausted." He half lied, praying the older wouldn't question him.</p><p>Much to his relief Phil gave an understanding smile and nodded. "Of course. If you need anything, just come find Kristen or me! Sleep well, Wil!" Phil said pleasantly, effectively sending the younger off to bed. </p><p>Wilbur quickly jogged into his bedroom and shut the door behind him. He changed into a pair of sweats for the night before digging through his bag where he retrieved three items. Two journals and a soft stuffed sheep. Wilbur sat criss-cross on his bed and grabbed the first journal, a simple leather book with a music note design engraved on the front. He flipped it open to the next blank page and dated it before beginning to jot down his thoughts in neat cursive writing. </p><p>'Diary, I made it to Phil's house today, and it's far better than I would have expected it to be. Phil and Kristen are simply so welcoming, and our dynamic is no different than it is online, which had been a previous concern of mine. But the longer I stay around Phil, the more a new problem begins to arise; is it perhaps possible Phil is too welcoming? I knew I would need to regress this week, but I had not expected it to be so difficult to keep myself from slipping while around Phil. His presence is simply so warm and comforting, it made me feel like I was home, even though this is my first time staying at their house. Even as I write this entry now, I'm teetering between headspaces, and if this is what just the first day was like, I fear what the rest of the week will be like. Will I be able to keep this hidden from them? Let's hope I don't accidentally slip. - Wilbur. '</p><p>Wilbur exhaled softly and set the book on the bedside table before grabbing the next journal. It was a notebook, very similar to the other, but this one was pastel blue leather and had butterfly designs etched out along the front. Wilbur could feel himself sliding fast as he gently grabbed his stuffed sheep and clutched it close to his body, using his free hand to freely write in the new journal. This time, the letters were written in sloppy print handwriting, some words were misspelled, but it was exactly what should be expected of a child. </p><p>'Hello! I got to see Phil and Kristen today!! They were super nice and friendly and good and I really like Phil a lot. I like him even more in person I think cuz hes just so nice! I felt all warm and fuzzy and good with him today and I know I shouldnt be small with him but I really really wanna be cuz I think Phil would take good care of me. He takes good care of me when Im big already!! But now Im super sleepy and Im gonna go to sleep! Nighty night - Wilby'</p><p>The boy closed the book and tucked it under his pillow with a giggle. 'For safe keeping', he thought to himself before laying down. The boy buried himself under fluffy, warm blankets and held his plushie close to his chest. Feeling exhausted and small, it didn't take long for the boy to fall asleep, feeling nothing but a sense of warmth and comfort. </p><p>What Wilbur wasn't expecting was to wake up the next morning still feeling small. The boy rubbed his eyes groggily with the sleeves of his sweater before looking around in confusion. He wasn't certain where he was, but after a few slow blinks, the previous day came crashing back to him causing him to let out a happy giggle. The boy stood, or rather stumbled, to his feet and shuffled his way into the bathroom. He didn't want to have an accident, especially not at Phil's house. He was a big boy after all!</p><p>It was getting rather late and Phil was concerned that Wilbur wasn't awake yet. He told Kristen, who was happily making them breakfast, that he was going to go wake the boy before making his way upstairs to the guest room. He gave a firm knock and waited a few minutes, though when he got no response, he opened the door and felt his heart plummet when he didn't see Wilbur anywhere in sight. </p><p>The first thing the man noticed was the out-of-place lamb plush laying on the bed, but he figured that was something easily dismissable. The second thing he noticed was the leather book laying on top of the bedside table, wide open. Phil tried to tell himself it wasn't his place to read, but Wilbur wasn't anywhere to be seen, and eventually, curiosity got the best of him. Phil slowly made his way over before picking up the journal. He noted the page had been dated to last night, and tentatively, the older man's eyes began scanning over the perfectly written cursive words. </p><p>When Wilbur walked out of the bathroom, he was not expecting to find Phil standing in his room reading his diary. The boy held back a small whimper and stared at the older man with wide, slightly fearful eyes. He had read the journal, and the boy was feeling small already. Surely there was no getting out of this one. </p><p>"Phil?" Wilbur whispered out hesitantly, a small hint of shyness coating his voice. </p><p>Phil's head snapped over to look at the younger, a guilty and shame-ridden look washing over his face. He knew he had invaded the boy's privacy, and he felt awful for doing so. However, he didn't particularly regret it. Words from Wilbur's entry stood out to him, words that he recognized and wanted to question the boy about such as 'regress', and 'slipping', and 'headspaces'. </p><p>Phil gently set the book down and stayed silent a moment before speaking softly. "I'm sorry, Wil. I shouldn't have invaded your privacy like that." He said simply, unsure of what headspace Wilbur was in at the moment. However, the same far-away look the boy stared at him with now as he did last night gave him a pretty good idea. </p><p>"S'okay." The boy murmured softly, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. </p><p>Phil hummed softly and sat on the edge of the younger's bed and patted the spot next to him. "Come sit with me, Wil. I think we should talk." He said softly, watching as the boy almost instantly scrambled to where Phil asked him to sit. "How old do you feel right now, Wil?" </p><p>Wilbur stared at him with glossy eyes for several moments before silently holding up three fingers. Phil gave a small smile and nodded, speaking softly once more. "Is that why you were so tired last night, baby? Were you forcing yourself to stay big? That's not very healthy you know." </p><p>Wilbur's eyes fluttered a bit at the nickname, the little shifting to gently rest his head on Phil's shoulder, letting out a small, strangled whine in the process. "M'sorry, dada. Didn' want you to think m'gross." He admitted softly, earning a heartbroken look from the older. </p><p>"Oh baby, never. You're perfect just the way you are. You're one of my boys, and I love my boys more than anything." He assured softly. </p><p>Wilbur stayed silent for a moment, a small look of hesitation etching across his face before Wilbur shuffled away and pulled something out. Phil was then handed a light blue journal before Wilbur promptly returned his head to Phil's shoulder. Phil gave Wilbur a small, questioning look before asking softly. "Do I need to read the last page, baby?" He murmured, earning a small nod of approval.</p><p>Phil flipped the book open and scanned over the words. He felt his heart soar and a small smile tug at his lips. The boy had never even met him while little and still wanted Phil to look after him. It meant more than Phil could ever put into words. The older gently shut the book and set it aside, lightly combing his fingers through Wilbur's curly hair. </p><p>"Is that your way of asking me to be your caregiver, Wil?" He asked softly, causing the boy to look up at him with an almost fearful expression. "Because if so, I will happily take care of you." </p><p>Wilbur's face lit up as the little stared at him. "Really mean dat?" He asked softly, earning a nod from Phil. </p><p>"Of course, Wil," Phil responded with a smile. "But I take care of Techno too. You okay with sharing?" He asked in a slightly teasing tone, already knowing what the boy's answer would be. </p><p>A warm giggle escaped his lips as he let out an eager nod. Phil smiled softly and ruffled his hair. "Come on, little one. Kristen made pancakes, and I'm sure you're pretty hungry, aren't you little one?"</p><p>Wilbur let out a small giggle and nodded before slowly climbing off the bed. Phil smiled and stood before scanning around. "Did you bring any little gear with you, Wil?" He asked softly, smiling when the boy nodded. "Okay, good. Why don't you grab a sippy cup for me, so you don't have to worry about spilling your drink, hm?"</p><p>Wilbur gasped and nodded happily before quickly digging a blue sippy cup out of his bag. Phil took it with a smile before gently taking Wilbur's hand with his free one, leading the boy carefully downstairs. When they made it to the kitchen, Kristen eyes over the boys and glanced at their entwined hands before raising an eyebrow at Phil curiously. Wilbur shuffled behind Phil nervously as if the taller would actually be able to hide behind the older, while Phil smiled softly and held the sippy cup up for his wife to see. </p><p>"We have a little on our hands this morning." He said softly, watching his wife's demeanor instantly shift to a soft smile.</p><p>Kristen let out a small laugh and hummed. "I'm glad I put chocolate chips in them today," She said, instantly catching the attention of the little hiding behind Phil. "Though it seems I may need to cut them up now." She said warmly, sending Wilbur a small wink before grabbing one of the three plates and beginning to cut the pancakes into small, bite-sized pieces. </p><p>Wilbur flushed as Phil let out a small laugh. He turned his head back to look at the little and smiled. "What do you want to drink, baby?"</p><p>"Can I has milk?" He asked softly.</p><p>Phil nodded a bit and helped Wilbur sit in his seat before walking to the fridge to fill the sippy cup. Breakfast was peaceful, mostly spent with the two adults bonding with the newfound little and getting to know him better while Wilbur was simply enjoying having a family that accepted him. Maybe he would be a little frustrated with Phil's snooping when he was big again, but truly, no harm was done from it, and he learned that when it came to family, some secrets were best unkept.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Blow Them All Away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Wilbur CG!Techno</p><p>There was no telling what was going on in Wilbur's head after the explosion of L'Manburg. Nobody was sure how he escaped the mob that hunted him down after everyone had caught up with what had happened, but no one was sure where he had gone. No one except for Techno, who had allowed the man to take refuge in his home.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quiet footsteps approached the boy sitting before the fireplace. A distant look glazed over his eyes causing the boy to look withdrawn from the world around him. Techno sat next to the boy with a frown. He had tried to talk to the boy multiple times throughout the day but hadn't gotten much of a response. Techno gently set a bowl of soup in front of Wilbur in hopes the boy would eat something, but when Wilbur didn't even glance at it, that hope was quickly fleeting. </p><p>"Wilbur, this isn't healthy. You can't shut yourself away like this." Techno murmured softly, concern seeping through him despite the monotonous resonance his voice carried. </p><p>For the first time since Techno stole Wilbur away, the boy turned his gaze to look at him. His eyes still held the same far-away stare, but Techno was grateful for the progress. Wilbur gave a slow blink before speaking softly. "Techno...I hurt them. I blew up our nation. Why did you save me? They have the right to want to kill me. They should kill me. Dad should have killed me in that room as I asked." He stated, his voice coming across low and raspy, though quietly as if he were afraid of his own thoughts. </p><p>Techno frowned and shook his head. "You're wrong, Wil. You made a mistake, but you shouldn't die for it. Phil can't kill you, he loves you too much, just like I do. And sure, they're angry now, but ultimately, you saved L'Manberg from Schlatt. Even if it wasn't in the most...convenient of ways, you did what you thought had to be done. They're fools for being angry at you for that."</p><p>Wilbur let out a small whine and buried his head in his knees, hugging them close to his chest. His head felt heavy, swamped down with a never-ending fuzziness that never seemed to leave, no matter how hard Wilbur willed it away. "I destroyed everything, Techno. I hurt my friends. I dunno why you saved me. Should have left me to die to them. It would have made them feel better, and I'm okay with that."</p><p>Techno's expression softened. He had spent enough time with Wilbur to notice the subtle signs of his brother's regression. Curling in on himself, the whining, how he curled in on himself, it was all coming together, and Techno wasn't surprised. The boy had been through a lot, and Techno believed it would probably be good for the boy to regress. He seemed as though he needed the release of stress, even if it was just for a small period of time. Techno slid closer and gently rubbed the back of Wilbur's head, smiling when the other mewled softly at the sensation. </p><p>"Maybe it would. But only temporarily. Once you were dead, everyone would regret losing you, especially Tommy and Tubbo. Your brothers love you, baby, and so does everyone else; they're just a little scared and angry right now. That's why you're going to stay with me until they feel better, and then we can go apologize together." Techno soothed softly, watching as Wilbur's body finally relaxed. </p><p>Wilbur let himself succumb to the fuzziness with the assistance of Techno's reassurance. The boy slowly lifted his head from his knees to look at Techno with tired eyes, who simply gave him a warm smile. The little let out a small whine and clumsily clambered into his brother's lap. Techno didn't object and instead held the little close. </p><p>"What's wrong, little one? What are you whining for?" Techno asked softly, gently stroking Wilbur's hair. </p><p>The boy dug his face into the crook of Techno's neck and mumbled his words out as best he could. "Ea's winging, head hu't." </p><p>Techno mentally smacked himself and sighed. Of course, the boy was in pain, he had been just mere feet away from an explosion just hours ago. Techno gave a small hum and nodded. "Okay baby. Think you can eat some dinner for me? Then we can get you some healing potion and cuddle, how does that sound?" He coaxed softly, smiling softly when the younger nodded. "Okay, can you tell me how old you are?" He asked softly.</p><p>Wilbur seemed to sit in debate for a moment before promptly sticking a single finger up. Techno smiled and gently ruffled the boy's hair. "What a little boy you are, hm? Guess I'll just have to help you eat." He responded soft, carefully grabbing the bowl from where he had set it previously. </p><p>He continued to hold the boy in his lap as he slowly fed the boy the stew he had made. Luckily it had cooled over the duration of their conversation, so the little had no troubles eating it. Once he had finished, Techno set the bowl aside, knowing he would clean it up later, and carefully carried Wilbur to his bedroom. He gently set Wilbur down on his bed and dug through one of his chests. When he turned back around, Wilbur was absently fiddling with the hem of his torn-up L'Manberg jacket. Techno gave a sad smile and gently popped the bottle of the healing potion over before sitting next to Wilbur. </p><p>"Here little one. Drink this, it will make your pains go away." He encouraged softly. </p><p>The boy gently closed his lips around the bottle and allowed Techno to carefully feed the potion to him. Healing potions were gross, leaving one with a bitter taste lingering in their mouth. However, Phil and Techno had worked hard together to make a potion for the littles of their family that tasted sweet, leaving the lingering taste of strawberries that made it easy for the littles to drink. Once Wilbur had finished the bottle, Techno set it aside and stood.</p><p>"Let's get you out of those big boy clothes, yeah? I'm sure they can't be very comfy." Techno coaxed softly. The little stared down at his clothes, and for a moment, Techno saw flashes of genuine hesitance and sadness. "I won't get rid of them, baby, I swear. I'll even clean them and hang them up if you want."</p><p>There were a few more moments of hesitance before the little finally gave in and nodded in agreement. Techno pulled out one of his extra hoodies and a pair of comfy pajama pants Wilbur had left during one of his previous visits; fluffy and light blue with clouds on it. Techno helped the boy change into the new clothes and very carefully folded Wilbur's L'Manberg uniform up and set it aside, a promise that he would wash it later. </p><p>Techno grabbed a pacifier for Wilbur before climbing into bed. He allowed the little to lay between his legs, his body sprawled out on top of him while his head rested on his shoulder. Techno gently nudged the pacifier between Wilbur's lips and the boys fell into a comfortable silence. Wilbur's eyes were already drooping, and Techno was lost in thought. </p><p>His brother was hurt and scared. He had been through so much, having his nation stripped away before having to be the one to destroy it. He didn't deserve what he had been through, and now that there was a party hunting him down, Techno was going to make sure he kept the boy safe. Looking down at a now sleeping Wilbur, Techno smiled. His brother was wonderful in ways no one else would understand. The boy held so much potential that had yet to be uncovered, and Techno knew that one day, Wilbur would blow them all away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Heartbeat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Tubbo</p><p>Ba-bum, ba-bum, ba-bum. That was the sound a heart made, and it was a sound that Tommy found oh so much comfort in.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy watched with a distant gaze as Dream was led off to the prison by Sam, Bad, and Sapnap. Everything felt so surreal. Their fight was finally over. The war was over. The war was won. Tommy felt his hands tremble in joy, a feeling that began to overwhelm him as he looked back on the past few months. They had been through so much pain and torture, manipulation plagued most everyone, but they had done it. Tommy and Tubbo had finally defeated Dream, and they did without dying-</p><p>Tommy felt his heart drop into his stomach. He could feel himself grow dizzy as he slowly glanced around the darkened room. Tubbo. His lifetime best friend. He had almost died today, and he was ready to accept it. Tubbo was willing to lay his life down so Tommy could live, even if it meant him having to live in a tiny prison cell. Tommy felt his throat clench up. His brunette friend was showing people that hall Dream had made, the places designated for each trophy Dream had been prepared to collect, and he was generously handing back the ones that had already been taken. His friend...what would he be without Tubbo? He would be one half of a whole and without his partner in crime, he would be incomplete. A shell of the person he was supposed to be. Just like he was in exile. He thought to himself before shaking the thought from his head. No, Dream was gone. He was home. He was with Tubbo and his friends. People knew he wasn't the one to blow up the community house now. He didn't have to think about that anymore.</p><p>Tommy slumped down against the wall and sat on the cold blackstone floor. He felt drained. He was so, so grateful to everyone that had shown up to fight for them, but he couldn't find it in himself to be around everyone right now. It all felt so overwhelming like it simply required too much energy. Tommy watched Tubbo interact with everyone, expressing his gratitude to everyone individually in a way that it seemed only Tubbo knew how. It was when the two locked eyes from across the room that Tommy began to realize that he simply felt oh so small at that moment. Stuck under his friend's protective gaze and trapped in a large room that seemed far too spooky for him to feel comfortable in. Tubbo's expression softened into a soft smile. It seemed as though Tommy didn't need to communicate a word of this to Tubbo, for his friend already knew. Politely, the older boy excused himself from his conversation with Niki and made his way over the disheveled-looking blonde, who simply gazed up at the older with those big blue eyes of his.</p><p>Tubbo smiled and kneeled before his friend, gently resting a hand on his friend's knee, which had been tugged up against his chest. "Hey, Tom. What're you doing over here all by yourself?" He asked softly, gently rubbing circles along Tommy's knee with his thumb. </p><p>Tommy stared silently, taking a bit longer to process the question than he probably should have before responding softly. "Lots goin' on. Feelin' too small for everyt'in." Tommy whispered out, his gaze never once leaving his friend in fear that if he glanced away his friend would disappear and never come back. </p><p>Tubbo smiled warmly and gently took off Tommy's helmet, ruffling a hand through the boy's hair. "Oh yeah? Why don't you tell me what's going on in that big brain of yours while we get you out of this armor. Surely it isn't very comfy." Tubbo offered warmly, listening to the boy speak and he gently took the netherite armor off of the boy. </p><p>"Bad man almost killed you, bee. Don' wan' you ta die. Need you. Wuv you too much for you ta die." Tommy said with a deep frown, giving Tubbo a troubled look. </p><p>Tubbo smiled warmly and gently set the netherite armor to the side, they could grab it before they left anyways. Turning his attention to the little, Tubbo gently gripped the little's hands. "I love you too, Tom. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere now, okay? Dream is all locked away. We're safe here. He can't hurt us anymore."</p><p>Tommy sniffled a bit and gazed up at his friend. "P'omise we safe?" He asked quietly, earning a smile from his caregiver. </p><p>"Of course I promise! I would never let something happen to you, and now we can be safe together because Sam is keeping Dream locked up nice and tight." Tubbo assured, moving to sit next to the boy. </p><p>Tommy didn't hesitate to climb into the older boy's lap and gently rest his head on his chest, curling up in the comfortable feeling of safety Tubbo never failed to provide. "Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum," Tommy murmured softly fiddling with Tubbo's fingers in mild fascination. </p><p>Tubbo looked down at the younger boy and smiled adoringly. "What was that, buddy?" </p><p>Tommy gazed back up at the older with a soft look and quietly repeated himself. "Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum. I can hears it." He said softly. </p><p>Tubbo smiled and pressed and gentle kiss to Tommy's forehead. "That's right, buddy. That's my heartbeat." He murmured back softly. </p><p>Tommy's lips twitched up into a cute, innocent-looking smile before he shyly went back to fiddling with Tubbo's fingers. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the soft chatter of their friends in the background filled the void. Captain Puffy looked over at the two boys and gave Tubbo a warm smile, which the younger returned generously. He felt so lucky to have friends that were so accepting and willing to help them. Tubbo closed his eyes contently and allowed the silence to surround him. They sat like that for several minutes before Tommy's soft voice filled Tubbo's ears. </p><p>"I like it. Da hear'beat. Cause then I knows dat your still alive." </p><p>And Tubbo swore Tommy knew just how to make his heart melt.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Donos are a Special Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Sapnap CG!Dream</p><p>Live streams were always a blast with friends, but less so when a donation wants to send you spiraling into little space while live on stream with a friend who doesn't know. Sapnap tries to avoid slipping, but of course, Dream knows him better than that; they're best friends after all.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sapnap giggled as Dream stabbed his character in CSGO, not only killing Sapnap but effectively getting himself banned in the process. It was nearly two-thirty in the morning and the boys were tired and felt oddly goofy. George wasn't particularly tired, but he was in a silly mood and simply played into the other boy's antics all night, and while it didn't lead to very good gameplay, it was fantastic content, and Sapnap was having fun, so that's all he really cared about. </p><p>His chat had been showering him in donations and messages in the typical chat style. Sapnap loved his chat, but sometimes they say things that simply leave him speechless. At some point, Karl had raided his stream and they had decided to spam his chat with "hey mamas" and the mods had done nothing to stop it. Sapnap didn't mind, truthfully he had giggled at it the whole time, which probably didn't encourage them to actually stop when he told them to, now that he thought about it. </p><p>Suddenly, an electronic voice sounded through his headset, reading off another donation that had come through. "Sapnap, why are you and the boys so giggly tonight? You all sound like absolute children." </p><p>Sapnap knawed at his lip and stayed silent for a moment. He wasn't going to admit it, but he had felt a bit fuzzy, really for the last week or so. He had tried to let himself slip multiple times, but nothing seemed to quite work. Perhaps streaming while stuck between headspaces wasn't Sapnap's brightest idea, but since when did he ever make logical decisions? Besides, it wasn't fair for him to just leave his fans hanging for an unknown amount of time, and since he hadn't been able to slip, he had just assumed it would be the same tonight, but he had assumed wrong.</p><p>"Um, just tired I guess, man. It's late for Dream and I. Leavin' us a little silly, you know?" He murmured as he switched his game to Minecraft, the boys no longer able to play CSGO since Dream got banned for the next 24 hours. </p><p>"Yeah, and George is just drunk or something, I don't know." Dream added on with a laugh, George protesting the claim in absolute offense.</p><p>Sapnap could feel himself sinking deeper and deeper into the fog that swam around in his head. George and Dream were running around being stupid together while Sapnap trailed behind them. Luckily the other two were loud enough to entertain his stream and kept them distracted so no one really questioned the sudden silence from Sapnap. George and Dream were off trying to push each other into a ravine, but Sapnap found himself trailing off from the other two. He wandered over to a nearby flower patch and quietly began picking up the flowers. His chat was being spammed with question marks and concerned comments, but Sapnap could hardly even keep up with them, so he simply didn't look. He felt like he was floating. A happy headspace where he was still aware, but very much slipping, and slipping fast. He was sinking back into his chair, the collar of his shirt had found its way into his mouth as he knawed at the cloth contently. </p><p>Finally, another dono came through, pulling Sapnap from his airy little spaced-out world. "Sapnap, are you okay? What are you doing?"</p><p>Sapnap's eyes lazily scanned over his screen before he muttered out a response, his words slightly slurred together and muffled by the fabric he refused to spit out. "M'okay. M'just pickin' flowers. The other two are fightin'. Don't really wanna pvp right now."</p><p>The other two boys on the call seemed to fall silent at the mumbled words from Sapnap. George wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but he knew something was up with Sapnap. He figured the boy was probably just tired, it was super late after all, and George could only imagine when the last time he actually slept was. Dream, however, Dream knew better. of course he knew better. The man was observant, smarter than he let on. So it shouldn't have been a surprise that he noticed the slightly slurred speech and the muffled sound of his words through the fabric he nibbled on. It shouldn't have been a surprise that the older had noticed Sapnap had wandered off, or that he noticed the boy had been in an especially giggly and ditzy mood, yet the younger boy felt himself flushing a bit when Dream spoke to him regardless, because the older was using a tone that indicated he knew all too well what was happening. One far too soft for their normal banter. </p><p>"Hey Sap, it's getting pretty late, don't you think? Maybe we should think about ending the stream." He said softly, his soothing tone almost instantly coehersing the boy into doing exactly as he said. </p><p>"Kay," He mumbled and rubbed his eyes a bit. "G'night everyone. Thanks for joinin' the stream, n'thanks for hangin' out. Come back next time." He said softly before promptly ending the stream, lacking the energy or motivation to give a much better sign off than that. </p><p>Once the stream was shut off, George was the first to speak, his anxiety eating away at him. "Sapnap, you okay?" He asked with a small frown. </p><p>"M'okay." He responded quietly but surely. George relaxed ever so slightly, though still wasn't very pleased with the response. </p><p>"He's okay George," Dream assured. "He's just regressed. Must have slipped during the stream, isn't that right, my little panda?" Dream stated, cooing Sapnap softly at the end, earning a small giggle from the younger. </p><p>George let out a small huff of relief and sank back in his chair. He knew of Sapnap's regression, he even took care of him sometimes when Dream got busy, or simply when he wanted to spend time with his friends. However, he had never been around for when Sapnap actually slipped into his littlespace, and watching it happen live was a bit stressful for George who wasn't entirely certain what was happening. </p><p>"Okay, good. He had me worried there for a minute." George admitted with a small smile. </p><p>Dream hummed softly and smiled a bit himself. "I think we're going to sign off for tonight. Thank you for playing with us tonight George!" </p><p>"Of course, anytime, guys! Make sure you get some good sleep, Sappy Nappy!" George said playfully, earning a tired but amused giggle. </p><p>"Ni ni, Gogy." The boy replied, though his words were still muffled. </p><p>The three boys signed off there computers, and not even two minutes later, Sapnap had wandered his way into Dream's room, the hand of his sweater stuffed in his mouth. Dream turned from his position at his desk and smiled warmly, shaking his head a bit. </p><p>"Nu uh, mister. You know that fabric is no good for you. Come here, we have something better for you to chew on." Dream coaxed softly, smiling when the boy spat the fabric out of his mouth and waddled over to the older man. </p><p>Dream gently lifted the boy into his lap and held a white pacifier in front of his lips, the very center of it having a small flame design along it. Sapnap happily took it into his mouth and nibbled the end of it, contently sucking on the object that was actually meant to be in his mouth. </p><p>Dream smiled and gently ruffled Sapnap's hair. "Hey panda, how old are you?" He murmured softly to the boy. </p><p>Sapnap looked up at him with sleepy brown eyes and mumbled something before holding up two fingers. Dream cooed softly and pressed a gentle kiss to the boys head before standing, lifting the boy into his arms as he went. "Come on my Prince, let's get you into some comfy clothes for bed, alright? A baby like you shouldn't have to be up this late." He murmured softly, gently setting the boy on the bed. </p><p>Sapnap gave a small nod and stuck his arms in the air quietly, allowing the older to help him change into appropriate sleeping clothes. Sapnap giggled when Dream tugged one of his hoodies on over the little's head and gasped softly. "Oh my goodness, I can't see him anymore, where on earth did he go?"</p><p>Sapnap giggled as he was swallowed by the large sweatshirt, darkness consuming his vision as the hood feel over his eyes. Even though his hand were engulfed by the long sleeves, the boy managed to nudge the hood back just enough that he was able to see again, and peered up at Dream with a cute grin. </p><p>"M'righ' here daddy! Didn' go nowheres!" He stated, words muffled around his pacifier.</p><p>Dream gasped dramatically and scooped the smaller into his arms, peppering kisses all along his face while Sapnap squealed out giggles. "Oh thank goodness! I thought I was never going to see my precious little panda again!" Dream cried out before collpasing back onto the bed, holding Sapnap on top of him. </p><p>The little didn't seem to mind, simply curling up into the older's chest and cuddling into his caregiver. Dream gently stroked through his hair and spoke softly to the little as he settled, knowing he wouldn't get a response but being more than alright with that. </p><p>"I'm glad you finally regressed, baby. I know it's been a while. I've seen you trying here and there, but I know you haven't because you never came to me after." He mused softly, pressing a kiss to the boy's forehead. "I'm sorry it happened on stream, but we can deal with that. Besides, your fans love you too much to question you." He cooed lightly. "I can't believe after everything you did to try to slip, all it took was a simple comment chat made," The caregiver teased softly, earning a sleepy whine from the little that made the older chuckle. "But who am I to judge? Your donos have always been a special place, haven't they?"</p><p>Dream didn't get a response. Sapnap had already fallen asleep, and Dream wasn't far behind. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Ride or Die</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Techno and Wilbur CG!Phil</p><p>Wilbur had always been open about his regression, but when he discovers his brother has the same coping mechanism, he forces his dad to set up a play date for them. When Schlatt's bad timing allows him to see the entire thing, he didn't expect one comment to send the entire family into a spiral of over-protectiveness.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phil sat in Techno's room with him in comfortable silence. The blinds were drawn shut and the lights were off, just like the boy liked it. Techno had curled up on the bed, his head resting in his father's lap while the older's hand gently ran through his messy pink hair. Techno had had another nightmare. They were becoming quite frequent these days, and Techno had claimed his voices were getting louder as well. Phil worried for his son, and no matter how selfish it may seem, or how he would never admit it to the boy himself, Phil was glad the nightmare had forced the boy to regress. Techno had always had an unhealthy obsession with pushing his regression away, but regressing always seemed to ease the voices for a few weeks. He knew the boy was ashamed of his coping mechanism, even though it was something the boy couldn't really help to begin with. Phil never minded watching over the boy, though Techno always claimed he didn't want to be a burden. </p><p>Phil had dug the soft pink blanket Techno had hidden in the back of his closet out and bundled the boy up. Techno practically cuddled the corner of the blanket as a thumb found its way to his mouth. Phil wanted to fuss at the boy, but he couldn't find it in himself. Techno almost never let himself slip young enough to need a pacifier, and when he did, he never admitted it. The fact that he was even willing to show this much vulnerability to Phil was enough to let the caregiver look past the bad habit. Through the soft whispers of praise and comfort from Phil, Techno hadn't noticed the door open until he heard a soft gasp come from his doorway, causing his eyes to snap open.</p><p>Fear stuck the little when he saw Wilbur standing in the doorway, staring at the boy and their dad. Though much to Techno's dismay, the boy broke into a wide, excited grin instead of a look of confusion or disturbance. "Tech? Are you small?" Wilbur asked, attempting to keep his voice soft, but his excitement caused his voice to peak.</p><p>Techno let out a soft whine and shrunk back against Phil. He knew Wilbur regressed, the older boy was never secretive about it. However, he didn't want Wilbur to know he regressed. He hadn't even wanted Phil to know, their dad having only found out when he plummeted into headspace after a particularly bad panic attack. </p><p>Phil let out a warmed smile and gave Wilbur a soft look. "Yes, Wil, he's little, right now. But it's a secret, so we have to stay quiet, okay?" </p><p>Wilbur clapped his hands slightly and nodded eagerly. "Can we have a playdate next time he regresses? Please, please, please?" </p><p>Phil hummed softly and shook his head in amusement. "I'll talk to him in the morning, Wil. But it's been a very long night for your brother, and he needs some good rest right now." Phil said truthfully. "Now, what did you need."</p><p>Wilbur paused before shrugging and grinning. "Don't remember! It's not important anymore. Goodnight, Techie!"</p><p>That conversation had taken place nearly a month ago. Techno had reluctantly agreed to the playdate, though Phil had warned Wilbur that it may be a bit because Techno didn't regress as often as Wilbur did. On the day that Techno finally did regress, he had woken up feeling small and anxious. He knew Wilbur wouldn't have forgotten their deal, and it made him feel on edge. Slipping out of bed, the boy shuffled out of his room and wandered around for a bit until he eventually found Phil in the kitchen. The boy gently tugged on the sleeve of Phil's shirt, quickly catching the boy's attention. Phil's attention darted over to the younger, and his expression softened into a soft smile. </p><p>"Hey, buddy," Phil said before pausing, pursing his lips a bit. "You feeling small this morning?"</p><p>Techno fiddled with the hem of his hoodie and nodded a bit. He hadn't bothered to change from his pajamas; sweatpants and hoodies were what he typically wore when he felt little anyways. He didn't feel the need to own actual little gear, he didn't believe he regressed enough to bother. Phil hummed softly and smiled.</p><p>"Well, do you feel big enough to get yourself breakfast this morning?" He questioned, knowing Techno often still preferred being independent, even while regressed. </p><p>Techno paused for a long moment before nodding. He counted on his fingers before holding six of them up. Phil smiled softly and nodded. "You're six? My, you're so big, Tech!" Phil said with a small gasp, causing Techno to smile shyly. "Okay buddy, you go ahead and get yourself some breakfast. I'm going to go get Wilbur, okay?"</p><p>Techno nodded hesitantly before shuffling to the fridge. He grabbed some precut apple slices that were laying around in the fridge and carefully filled the white sippy cup with pink pigs along it with orange juice, a present that Phil had gotten for him a few months ago. Techno sat on a kitchen stool and silently munched away at the apples, occasionally sipping from his cup. The poor boy was rather startled when Wilbur burst into the kitchen, joy written all along his face as he practically vibrated where he stood. Phil had a hand on the boy's shoulder to hold him in place, which Techno was actually rather thankful for. Wilbur was dressed in a light blue jumper and white short overalls and had a blue sheep plush tucked under his arm. </p><p>"Techie, Techie hi! You e'cited? I am!" Wilbur said giving a happy giggly, while Techno only gave a quiet nod. "Oh, an' dis is Fwiend! He gonna join us cause dada said he could!"</p><p>Techno sipped from his sippy cup and glanced over to Phil with a troubled expression. It didn't take much for Phil to understand the boy was overwhelmed. After all, Techno was a very reserved little, and Wilbur was quite the opposite. Wilbur could be a bit much even for himself at times, the only person he knew that could match the little's energy was Tommy, and that was simply because he was Tommy. </p><p>"Wilbur, baby, calm down, please. I think you're overwhelming Techno just a bit." Phil said softly, causing Wilbur to gasp. </p><p>"M'sorry, Techie! M'jus' e'cited!" The little said quickly, a guilty look washing over his face. </p><p>Techno slowly climbed off the stool and gave a small nod of understanding. "S'okay." He murmured softly causing Wilbur to perk right back up. </p><p>"Does you have a stuffie too?" The boy asked curiously, looking horribly offended when Techno shook his head. "Dada, why doesn' Techie have a stuffie? He gotta get one! Fwiend need a fwiend too!" He whined out. </p><p>Phil smiled and gently ruffled Wilbur's hair. "If that's something Techno wants," Phil said, making sure to emphasize Techno needing to want it first to the little, "I'm sure we can talk to Eret and have him make something for Techno, just like he did for you."</p><p>Wilbur cheered softly while Techno wandered out to the living room and plopped down on the floor. He never really did like sitting on the furniture while regressed, not unless he was feeling incredibly young. Wilbur came bounding in after him and sat next to his brother, asking curiously. "How old is you, Techie?"</p><p>Techno glanced at his brother before shyly holding up six fingers again. The other little took a moment to count them out before gasping. "You so old!" Wilbur said with a giggle, causing Techno to flush shyly, but smile a bit regardless. "M'only th'ee! But dada says dat I'm a big boy too!"</p><p>Phil smiled warmly watching his boys interact. He was proud of Techno for putting effort into responding to Wilbur and actively engaging, even though he knew the entire situation was stressful for the boy, and he was proud of Wilbur for caring about his brother enough to visibly restrain himself. The boy was trying to keep himself tame for his brother, and it was truly a warming scene. </p><p>Phil only forced his attention away from the boys when someone knocked at the door. Assuming it was just Tommy or Tubbo, perhaps even Niki, as it often was, Phil made it way over and opened the door without a second thought, but froze when he came face to face with the one and only JSchlatt. </p><p>"Hey Phil, I needed to ask a favor-what the hell is that?" Schlatt had cut himself off, staring directly past Phil and at the two littles in the living room. </p><p>Techno's gaze was locked on Schlatt, the two of them holding eye contact, though he didn't look nervous like he had when Wilbur walked in. He looked angry, and Phil didn't quite understand why until he saw Wilbur who was whining slightly and trying to cower away from the man at the door. Phil slowly turned his gaze back to Schlatt with his eyes narrowed. "They're my boys, and what they're doing is none of your business."</p><p>Schlatt simply snorted and shrugged in dismissal. "Whatever. Whatever it is is fucking weird, anyway." </p><p>Phil's gaze hardened, the man speaking in a low, protective tone, though his voice was far too calm for the energy his body language gave off. "Say that one more time, Jonathan Schlatt, I dare you. Insulting my boys to my face is not your best move right now, I can promise you that."</p><p>Schlatt simply raised an eyebrow and shrugged a bit. "I'm just saying it's weird, okay?"</p><p>Techno, who had gone unnoticed by all of them until now, stepped up to Schlatt and looked the man dead in the eyes. He had his arms crossed, and his body was positioned much like that of a child mid-tantrum, but the calmness and stoic demeanor that followed typical Technoblade fashion left Schlatt feeling unsettled regardless, and Phil looking rather amused. </p><p>"You upset Wilby," The boy said quietly, but his voice was low and gravely, clear anger seeping through his words, despite the formatting of the sentence sounding very immature. "You're gonna leave, cause if you don't, m'gonna kill you for making my brother sad." He stated matter of factly, his blank expression unwavering. </p><p>Schlatt was quick to turn on his heels and walk the other way. Techno simply huffed and turned around, returning to his brother who still looked rather shaken up. Techno plopped down next to the mentally younger boy and gently wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. Wilbur whined and nuzzled against his older brother, clutching Friend close. </p><p>"He's gone, Wilby. Don't be sad." Techno whispered, gently patting Wilbur's head because he wasn't entirely sure how else to comfort the boy.</p><p>Phil smiled warmly and shut the door behind Schlatt. He looked at his two boys fondly and felt his heart swell. He had never heard Techno speak so much while regressed, but knowing he did it just to defend his little brother left Phil feeling a sense of pride. He may have made some mistakes with his boys in the past, but seeing the scene in front of him now, he knew he raised them right, and he was going to make sure nothing came between their little family.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. "Care" Package</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Dream</p><p>Dream sends Tommy a package to open for on stream. It should be harmless, right? That's what Dream thought too until he realizes Tommy acting awfully weird because of the gag gifts he decided to include. </p><p>Warnings: Swearing</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy plopped down in front of his camera with a large, Minecraft-themed box in his lap. He flashed a small grin to the camera and began his usual banter with the chat. "Alright, boys! Today, we are unboxing this package that Dream himself sent to me. Honestly, I don't quite know what to expect, seeing as it's Dream, but I suppose that's half the fun of it." The boy rambled, before tearing the box open, careful not to accidentally show the older man's address.</p><p>The first thing Tommy pulled out was a small, plastic Dream statue of sorts, along with a Dream mask on a stick that had a note on bright green paper stuck to the back of it. The boy found himself laughing in amusement and shaking his head. "What the hell, man?" He laughed out before reading the note out to the stream. "This gift box is for the best of the best, YES!" Tommy cheered with a laugh. "Amen Dream, amen." He stated with a grin before reading off the rest of the note. "Love." Tommy didn't even make it to saying Dream's name before he began laughing once more, his chat going wild with amusement as well. </p><p>The next thing Tommy pulled out was a white hat with a Dream-ified version of himself on it. Tommy felt his heart swell with warmth at the gesture as he gasped. "No way, this is me!" He stated, holding it up for the stream to see. "This is actually so pog! Can we get some pogchamps in the chat, please?" The boy asked as he promptly tugged the hat at, looking at himself in the camera. "Damn, I look good." He said with a firm nod.</p><p>He next opened up a bright green Dream hoodie, with the same image that had been on the hat, now on the sweatshirt. Tommy found himself smiling. Dream knew he was doing it as a joke, a way for them both to get content, but the fact that Dream took the time to make personalized merch he knew Tommy would actually wear left him feeling warm and fuzzy. "Are you joking?" He asked with a laugh, holding up the hoodie for the chat to see. "Oh, that is just incredible," Tommy said with a grin. </p><p>Tommy continued through the unboxing, he pulled out many more items, such as a mousepad, a waterbottle, some shirts, a Dream youtooz, and even a shirt for his dog, which he promptly forced the dog into then and there, ignoring the chat's claim of 'animal abuse' because "Chat, it's not animal abuse if she's wagging her tail and looks cute."</p><p>Finally, after a very fun and energetic stream, Tommy had made it to the final box. Tommy was feeling rather tired and his mind was beginning to feel hazy. He knew what it meant, but he figured he didn't have much more than ten minutes left of the stream, and once it was over he could just go to bed. "Alright chat, the last box, here we go!" He cheered before tearing it open and pulling out the first item he saw. </p><p>Tommy stared at it silently for a moment, expression going soft before quickly turning it to one of confusion. He moved it into the frame so chat could see before muttering in a soft voice. "What on earth is this? Bright Starts Snuggle and Teethe?" He mumbled before tossing it aside when really he had been sure to let it land safely on his bed. Next, he pulled out a set of new soothers. Tommy could practically feel himself drop at just the sight of them, but he had to force himself to remember he was still on stream. He had to be big man Tommyinnit, he couldn't be small right now. "He...Dream got me baby toys." Tommy huffed out, his tone softer than normal, though it could easily be played off as his annoyance. "That stupid son of a-" Tommy cut himself off by throwing the soothers onto his bed as well. It felt wrong to swear, and he couldn't bring himself to go through with actually doing it. </p><p>Tommy turned to the chat, a small pout evident on his face. " Who does he think I am? I'm not a child! I'm big man! Big man Tommyinnit! I don't need teethers and soothers, who does he think he is?" He argued though you could hear a small whine in his tone if you listened carefully enough. His chat was being spammed with "L" and laughing emotes, though what really caught Tommy off guard was Dream's donation, telling him to end the stream. </p><p>Tommy stared at the donation for a long moment before swallowing. The wording of the donation left no room for argument, and already feeling fuzzy didn't give him the energy to fight back. "Um, okay guys. I think that's it for this stream, thank you all for coming. Um, this'll probably be a video up on my channel sometime soon, so keep an eye out for that. Thank you, boys, so much for watching, and have a great night." He stated sort of stuttering through his outro before finally ending the stream. </p><p>The moment he was offline, Tommy could feel himself drop, and drop hard. His headspace came crashing down on him, leaving him feeling nearly dizzy. It wasn't even a full minute later when he heard the sound of some calling him through discord. Tommy rubbed his eyes tiredly and shuffled over to his computer. He answered the call without checking who it was that was actually calling and was instantly met with a coo that left his face flushed. </p><p>Tommy, who was still wearing the hat Dream and sent as well as the oversized hoodie, slowly raised his gaze to realize Dream had been the one to call him. Though Dream didn't have his facecam on, Tommy did, and it left the boy feeling flustered and embarrassed to be caught in the older's merch, even though the older man had been watching his stream, to begin with. "Dweam?" The younger mumbled out, his speech was almost incoherent. </p><p>Dream smiled softly to himself and scanned the boy over. "Hey Tommy, you okay? You seemed a little out of it at the end of your stream. I didn't upset you with the baby stuff, did I?" He asked softly, though the tenderness in his tone was something he had never heard from the older, and it left Tommy practically melting. </p><p>"Nu-uh. Jus' got tired. Sorry." He mumbled and rubbed his eyes with the sleeves of his hoodie. </p><p>"Tired, hm? I'm sorry, do you want me to leave you so you can sleep?" He asked curiously, earning a whine from the boy, who then quickly tried to correct his behavior. </p><p>"No, um, like da company." He said quietly. </p><p>Dream nodded to himself and leaned back in his chair. "You look good in the hoodie, big man. Very fitting for you." Dream noted softly, smiling at the small giggle he got in response. </p><p>Tommy hadn't even realized Dream was playing into his little space. He hadn't said anything that would indicate he knew, and the subtle things went over the small boy's mind. He was simply finding himself to feel comfortable and safe with the older. "Mm, tanks. It's comfy and big. I likes it. Da hat too." He said with a happy little grin. </p><p>Dream smiled and chuckled. "I'm glad. Had them all specially made, just for you, Toms. They're one of a kind, no one else can get them you know." </p><p>Tommy gasped slightly in excitement. "M'special?" He asked softly, part of him hoping for even the slightest bit of praise or approval from the older he secretly looked up to so very much.</p><p>"Very special, big guy." Dream confirmed softly. "Do you have any special friends there with you? I'd love to meet them." Dream stated, subtly coaxing the boy to open up to him more while in little space. </p><p>Tommy whined softly and shook his head. "Nu-uh. Wanna buy stuffies but parents don' know." He mumbled with a small pout. </p><p>Dream hummed softly in understanding. "You're parents don't know? Does that mean you don't have any other stuff for when you feel all small?" He questioned, hoping the boy didn't freak out when he addressed it directly and relaxing when he didn't even acknowledge it.  </p><p>"Mm. Jus' what you sen' me today." He mumbled in embarrassment. </p><p>Dream's expression softened and he stayed silent a long moment before asking quietly. "Do you have a caregiver, big guy?" </p><p>Tommy let out a pitiful whine and shook his head again, causing Dream to frown. "Do you want me to be your caregiver, Tom? I can send you some more packages, send you some actual little gear this time." He offered warmly, noticing the boy instantly perk up. </p><p>"Reawwy? You do dat?" He asked softly, words slurring together more the more comfortable he got.</p><p>Dream chuckled and nodded. "Mhm. I don't mind. You are pretty adorable, after all." Tommy giggled and flushed, hiding his face in his hands. "Why don't you go ahead and get in bed, buddy? I'll stay on the call with you until you fall asleep, I promise." </p><p>Tommy nodded and hung up. When he rejoined on his phone, Tommy was curled up under the blankets and had one of the soothers Dream had gotten for him in his mouth. The hat was no longer on him, but he was still in the green hoodie, and Dream smiled. The soothers were meant for actual babies, but he supposed they would be alright until he was able to get Tommy ones that weren't too small for him. </p><p>"You comfortable, little one?" Dream asked softly, earning a nod in response. </p><p>Tommy gave a small nod and smiled to himself when Dream began rattling off some random bedtime story. It didn't take long for the little to doze off, but he was content, and he could wait for future packages the older would give him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Old Habits Die Hard // Pt. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Dream and Awesamdude</p><p>Months have passed since Tommy's exile. He had never been the same, but all people knew for certain was there was an underlying tension between Dream and Tommy that was left unresolved. Tommy avoided Dream at all costs, but when things go poorly at his visit to the prison to say his final goodbye to Dream, Tommy finds himself in a hard place.</p><p>Warnings: Swearing, manipulations, abusive CG, panic attacks, overall angst.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy stared quietly at the wall of lava that flowed down before him. His head was spinning with anxiety at the thoughts of what was to come. He was here to see Dream. To say his final goodbyes. He wanted Dream out of his life, once and for all. He needed to let go, he needed to let go of all the pain the older had brought to him, and forget all of the good that was woven within those memories as well. The lava finally lowered, and Tommy felt his heart race. Bright green eyes peered at him from across the lava pool separating them. The man no longer had his mask, it had been taken by Sam as a safety measure. A small smirk danced across Dream's lips causing Tommy to stutter back, running right into Sam who had been standing behind him. The boy looked up at Sam with widened, panicked eyes. For just a moment, the older dropped his hardened prison guard act, giving Tommy a soft look. </p><p>"Tommy, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," Sam murmured. </p><p>Tommy swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. "I need to. I need closure, Sam. I need to end this part of my life once and for all." He whispered out. </p><p>Sam nodded softly before gently edging the boy to the platform he needed to be standing on. "Are you ready?" Sam waited patiently for the boy to nod, not minding that it took a few minutes before nodding a bit. "Move with the platform. Don't fall, okay?" He said softly before pulling the lever. </p><p>Tommy shuffled along with the moving platform, keeping his eyes on his feet. He couldn't bring himself to look up and look Dream in the eyes, not even when he stepped off the platform and heard the lava wall close in behind him. The wall between the two men lowered, and they sat in silence until Dream finally decided to speak. </p><p>"I knew you'd come to visit, you know. I'm glad you did, I've quite missed your company and it's been a while-"</p><p>Tommy cut Dream off, stuttering out his sentence while he still had the confidence to say it. "I'm here to say goodbye, Dream."</p><p>The older man paused and looked and Tommy with narrowed eyes. "What?"</p><p>"This is my last time visiting you, Dream," Tommy said with a bit more confidence, finally raising his eyes to meet the eyes that still haunted him in his nightmares. </p><p>Dream's expression dropped as he stared at the boy, almost as though he didn't believe what Tommy was saying. "Forever?" He questioned for clarification, frowning when Tommy gave a firm not. "Well, forever is a long time, Tommy. And you're my friend, I'm going to miss seeing you, just like I know you'll miss seeing me-"</p><p>Tommy huffed and stomped his foot, glaring up at the older. "No, no, you shut your mouth Dream! I am here to say goodbye, not for you, but me! Because I deserve the closure. Because I deserve to know that you'll finally be out of my life for good. Because I get to walk away knowing that for once I got to be the bigger person. You were an absolute dickhead, you know that? You manipulated me, you humiliated me, and you took advantage of me when I was in my most vulnerable state. How fucked up of a person do you have to be to do something like that? You deserve to rot in here alone, just as much as I deserve to live myself without having to think of you again."</p><p>Dream merely raised an eyebrow and leaned in close to Tommy, stating calmly, though his voice was low and almost warning. "Throwing tantrums will get you nowhere, Tommy, you know this. Or do I need to remind you-"</p><p>A loud smack echoed weakly through the room before being swallowed by the sounds of bubbling lava. Dream stumbling back and stared at the boy in shock. Tommy took a step back away from Dream, his eyes showing fear but his body showing confidence. Tommy had slapped Dream. He slapped him across the face, and Dream truthfully wasn't quite sure what to do with the newfound confidence in the boy. </p><p>"You get the hell away from me, Dream." He breathed out, though his voice was shaky and his lip trembled. "You have no right to speak to me like that anymore, and I will not allow it."</p><p>Dream simply hummed and rubbed the sore spot along his cheek before rolling his neck. "Being here is helping me, Tommy. I'm getting better, you know. Hopefully, sometime in the far-out future, I won't have to be stuck in this little prison cell."</p><p>"That will never happen. You are a monster, and everyone knows it now. Not just me." Tommy seethed back, only getting a chuckle in response. </p><p>"Oh, we'll see about that, Tommy." He mused softly. </p><p>Tommy stared at Dream intensely for a moment before flinching back when the loud rumble of an explosion going off sounded through the cell. Tommy bit his lip and looked up at the ceiling, Dream doing the same. "What was that?"</p><p>Dream hummed and shrugged a bit. "Sounded like TNT. Probably something security will have to deal with." He stated before another explosion went off. </p><p>Tommy whimpered softly and backed himself up against the far wall from Dream, plugging his ears in an attempt to block the sound out. He felt dizzy and sick and - no. Now was not the time, nor the place. He couldn't have a panic attack, he couldn't slip, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't. </p><p>"I need to leave," Tommy mumbled out and walked to the lava wall. "Sam!" He called out and waited for a response, frowning when he got none. "Sam! I'm ready to leave now!"</p><p>Dream watched in amusement for a moment before clearing his throat. "Tommy, there's kind of a security problem going on. He isn't there. He's dealing with the explosions." He mused out to the boy, watching a look of panic take over Tommy's features. </p><p>"No no, he has to be there! How am I gonna get out?" Tommy stressed, giving Dream a weary look. </p><p>Dream stood from where he sat on his desk and paced the cell a bit, giving a small shrug. "You signed a waiver, remember that? Says if a security issue occurs you can be locked in the prison for up to seven days or until it's taken care of? Yeah, I know that because I'm the one that created the waiver, Tommy."</p><p>Tommy felt his heart plummet into his stomach, a wave of nausea overtaking him as yet another explosion went off, causing the boy to let out a sob and crumble to his knees. "No, no! I can't be here I can't!" He sobbed out before yelling out for his caregiver. "Sam! Sam, please don't leave me in here with him! I can't do it, Sam!" He cried out desperately, rubbing at his eyes as he felt himself becoming dizzy and overwhelmed. In a final, pathetic attempt to get Sam to hear him, Tommy whimpered out a plead so soft he wasn't sure anyone but himself and Dream would hear. "Mr. Nook p'ease help..."</p><p>Dream watched as Tommy curled in on himself, desperately rocking himself in an attempt to calm down. So Sam was now Tommy's caregiver. Peculiar. Dream pondered. He hadn't known of the two's new relationship. Dream hummed softly, a small tune he always used to hum to calm Tommy down from his panic attacks, though more often than not, Dream had been the one that sent him into those panic attacks. </p><p>Tommy stared up at Dream, his eyes teary and bloodshot. Dream smiled softly and slowly kneeled in front of the little. "It's okay, little one. I'm here, you don't have to worry." Dream cooed softly, running his fingers through Tommy's hair. </p><p>Tommy's eyes fluttered shut momentarily, and the boy allowed this to happen. With the soft humming, the gentle touches; Tommy felt safe. Tommy's mind began to drift, thinking back to a time when things weren't always so bad. </p><p>"Oh, Tommy." The boy heard his name being called. Tommy slowly peeled his eyes open. Sunlight was beaming through his tent, indicating it was well into the morning, but Tommy didn't mind. It's not like he had anything to do. Clambering out of his tent, Tommy stretched a bit and looked around with a yawn. It had to be nearly mid-day, but he didn't mind. It's not like he had to go mining or hunting or anything. Dream took care of him. He didn't have a need for any of the silly stuff anymore.</p><p>Speaking of, Dream stood in front of the tent with a soft smile and a backpack on. Tommy gasped excitedly upon seeing the older and felt himself plummet. He clapped his hands happily and stumbled over to Dream, instantly engulfing the man into a tight hug, keeping a koala-like grip on him. </p><p>"Dada, you' here!" He said happily, causing the older to hum. </p><p>"That's right, little one. I brought some lunch, too, so let's go ahead and eat." Dream stated, smiling in satisfaction when the boy gave a nod and pulled away. </p><p>The two sat on the ground and Dream watch silently as Tommy happily ate through the sandwich he had brought. However, when the boy got to the apple slices, he stopped and just looked at Dream. </p><p>Dream quirked an eyebrow and nodded to the fruit. "Eat it, Tommy." </p><p>Tommy frowned and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "I don' wanna." He murmured softly, just barely loud enough for Dream to hear. </p><p>Dream frown a bit and leaned back against the tree they had been sitting under, giving a shrug. "The go get Henry and give him to me." Dream stated, as though Tommy's antics didn't bother him. </p><p>Tommy's gaze shot up as he stared at his caregiver with fear. "No, m'sowwy, I eats it!" He promised softly, though it sounded more like a beg.</p><p>Dream simply shook his head. "No. You had your chance and you went against me. Go give him to me." </p><p>Tommy whined softly and glared at the floor. "That isn't fair.." He stated, and Dream glared hard at him. He was unregressing and fighting back, but Dream knew his way around this problem, of course. </p><p>"Don't keep pushing me, Tommy. Go get Henry and give him to me, or else I will go get him myself and he will end up in the hole. We don't want that do we?" He stated, watching the boy closely. </p><p>Tears quickly rose to Tommy's eyes as the boy rapidly shook his head. Tommy stumbled to his feet and raced off, only to return a few moments later with a small stuffed cow in which he hesitantly handed over to Dream. Dream hummed in satisfaction and tucked the cow into his backpack. </p><p>"You can have him back in three days. That is if you behave." </p><p>Tommy nodded, his lip trembling as he sat down. His breaths were still uneven and his tears were still falling from his pretty blue eyes. Dream hummed softly and motioned the boy close to him, Tommy almost instantly crawling into the older boy's lap. Dream gently rocked Tommy as he began humming that oh-so-familiar tune that put Tommy at ease. Tommy's sniffling soon came to a stop as he closed his eyes and took a minute to relax. Dream's hand gently ran through Tommy's hair as he spoke in a soft voice only reserved for the little. </p><p>"I love you, little one. Don't forget that."</p><p>Tommy lurched back from Dream's touch with a small cry. He whipped himself back into big space as he stared at Dream with disgusted eyes. He couldn't be little. Not with Dream, not like this. "Don't touch me, don't even come near me, you monster!" He screeched up, shuffling away from Dream. </p><p>Dream's lips pursed in distaste as he stood upright again. "Tommy, we're going to be stuck in here for a while, you're going to need to relax around me."</p><p>"Go to hell, why don't you!" Tommy snapped back, rubbing his eyes aggressively with his hands.</p><p>Silence swamped over the room for a few moments before Dream spoke quietly again. "Everything I did was for your own good, Tommy. I never tried to hurt you."</p><p>Tommy scoffed and stared up at Dream, trying to ignore the oncoming headache he felt from being whipped around headspace. "For my own good? You're a little bastard, Dream. You did nothing but manipulate me while I was little. You took my toys from me, punished me for mining and hunting, and forced me to be completely dependent on you. You trained me to slip anytime I saw you, for fucks sake. How is any of that not going to hurt me?"</p><p>Dream simply stared at Tommy for a long moment. The boy had come a long way from the shell he had reduced him to, but that wasn't good, no far from it. A small smirk formed on Dream's lips, causing the older to give a hum. </p><p>"Sam has been good for you, I take it. That's good, that's good. But Tommy, you're stuck in here with me. Sam isn't here to save you. My, it's just you and me. Your old friend Dream. This is just like exile, isn't it?"</p><p>Tommy's heart stuttered as he stared at the man standing over him with pure hatred. "Don't you dare bring that up to me."</p><p>Dream just chuckled, his smirk widening. "Okay. But you're stuck in here with me for up to a week, Tommy. You're going to have to talk to me at some point."</p><p>Tommy swore he would rather die than be where he was right now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Pay Attention to Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Sapnap CG!George</p><p>George hadn't told anyone he was in Florida visiting Dream and Sapnap. Trying to talk about their next stream with Sapnap was more difficult than it seemed, as George found himself constantly having to refocus his friend on their conversation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>George and Sapnap sat on the couch in the living room, simply chattering away. Sapnap had been previously streaming with Dream but ended his stream early simply because he was feeling tired. As Dream continued streaming, Sapnap had moved into the living room to sit with George. It had started as them simply watching a movie together; something Sapnap was grateful for as his mind was feeling a bit froggy. His attention span wasn't the best at the moment, but the excitement of George being there was probably just messing with his energy levels. After all, it took a lot of energy to be excited all day. As the movie went on, Sapnap and George had begun talking. George had begun asking Sapnap about their plan for the next stream, only to notice Sapnap staring off into the distance. </p><p>George gave a small frown and waved a hand in front of his friend's face. "Sapnap? Hello?"</p><p>Sapnap blinked before slowly looking over to George, giving a sheepish smile. "Sorry, must've zoned out."</p><p>George gave a small smile and nodded in understanding. "It's alright. Are you okay?"</p><p>Sapnap hummed and gave a small nod. "Yeah, I think my bad sleep schedule is just catching up to me." He half-lied, giving a small chuckle. </p><p>George gave a small nod in understanding before continuing where he left off. "Anyways, like I was saying, our next stream is going to be the next manhunt, right? So I was thinking, Dream likes to try to lead us into ravines or up high mountains, so what if we-" George frowned and stopped talking. Once again, Sapnap had zoned out and wasn't paying any attention. "Sapnap! Pay attention to me, come on! This stream is tomorrow, we need a plan."</p><p>Sapnap seemed to snap out of it, his face flushing in embarrassment. "Sorry George, I'll do better, promise." He mumbled, fiddling with the hem of his sweatshirt. </p><p>George sighed softly and gave Sapnap a worried look before continuing his statement. "I was thinking, what if we don't chase after him immediately like we always do? If we can prepare ourselves and gather material, we can likely also avoid him leading us into the traps he usually does. Maybe we can catch him underground while he's mining and catch him off guard or-" George was irritated at this point. Didn't Sapnap care about the stream, even a little?</p><p>"Sapnap! What the hell man, are you even listening to me? What's going on with you tonight?" George huffed out in frustration but paused when the boy turned to look at him.  </p><p>Sapnap was staring at him with big, brown eyes that were beginning to fill with tears. His cheeks were still flushed a soft pink, and his ears seemed to be turning red. The boy fiddled with the strings on his hoodie as he quickly diverted his gaze from George, breaking their eye contact. </p><p>"I'm sorry, George. I don' know what's wrong with me tonight, I..." Sapnap trailed off, a small, frustrated whine coming from the boy.</p><p>George slowly uncrossed his arms, his expression softening almost instantly. How had he not noticed, it sooner? Guilt struck him hard as he realized he had probably been a bit too harsh on the boy, to begin with. </p><p>"Oh Sap, sweetie, are you slipping?" George asked softly, causing Sapnap to quickly look back up at him, giving a shy nod.</p><p>"M'sorry. Didn' know I was gonna. Jus' kinda happened." Sapnap admitted softly, rubbing his eyes with his sweater sleeves aggressively. </p><p>"Oh, don't be sorry, baby." George cooed out softly. "You can't help it. I'm not angry." He assured softly. </p><p>Sapnap sniffled softly before quickly clambering into George's lap, clinging onto the older male as though his life depended on it. George smiled softly and gently stroked the boy's hair, using his other arm to wrap around the boy and hold him close. Even though George wasn't truly a big fan of physical affection, he never really could say no to Sapnap, especially when the boy was regressed. George supposed he just had some sort of soft spot for the little, but that wasn't something he would admit to anyone else. </p><p>"What's bothering you, little one? Why are you crying?" George asked softly, only to get a whine from Sapnap. </p><p>"Don' know. Jus' feel tiwed n'sad." He admitted. "Made Gogy ang'y." Sapnap mumbled out, face hidden in George's shoulder. </p><p>George cooed softly, shaking his head. "You didn't make me, angry, baby. I just got frustrated, but that's because I didn't know I was going to be talking to my baby boy, and that's my bad." He assured, lightly bouncing the little in his lap. </p><p>Sapnap sniffled and peeked up at George. "P'omise you isn't an'gy?" </p><p>"Oh, I promise sweetheart," George said with a smile. "Now why don't we get ready for bed, yeah? A little boy like you shouldn't have to stay up when he's tired, surely." George coaxed, gently tapping the boy's nose.</p><p>Sapnap giggled weakly, eyes crossing as he attempted to watch George's finger. "M'kay." He agreed softly, wrapping his arms around George's neck as the older man stood, lifting the boy up with him. </p><p>George silently walked to Sapnap's room and set the boy on his bed. Sapnap swung his feet and silently chewed on the sleeve of his sweater as he watched George go to his closet. The older man dug around a little bit before turning back to the little, chuckling when he saw the boy with a mouthful of sweatshirt. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you changed into some comfy clothes, yeah?"</p><p>Sapnap spat the sweatshirt out of his mouth and gave a nod. He sat compliantly as George helped him change into his pajamas, giggling softly when George pulled the hood of his onesie over his eyes. Sapnap shook his head to move the hoodie from his face, giving George a small grin. </p><p>"There he is! What a cute little panda you are." George cooed softly, referring to the soft panda onesie he had put Sapnap into. It was the boy's favorite pair of pajamas after all. </p><p>Sapnap looked away, becoming flustered at the compliments. George smiled, only breaking his gaze from Sapnap when he heard a knock on the bedroom door. George glanced over to see Dream standing in the doorway with a small smile on his face, his eyes watching his two friends interact. </p><p>"Hey, sorry for interrupting. I didn't see you guys in the living room and wanted to make sure everything was okay." The taller explained softly. </p><p>George hummed softly and gave a nod. "Yeah, everything is alright. I'm just getting Sap ready for bed, isn't that right Sapnap?" </p><p>The little gave a small grin and nodded, reaching out for his best friend. Dream smiled softly and walked over, picking the boy up into a warm embrace. "Goodnight, buddy." Dream said with a small hum. "You better be good for Gogy and get some good sleep, okay?"</p><p>Sapnap nuzzled into the hug and giggled, giving a nod. "Yes sir!" He slurred out sleepily but playfully. </p><p>Dream smiled and gently patted the boy's hooded head before setting him back on the bed. "Goodnight guys!" He said warmly before making his way back out of the room. </p><p>George smiled and gave a wave before grabbing Sapnap's soother. He gently swatted the boy's hand away from his mouth, as he was attempting to chew on his clothing fabric again, and instead held the soother out to the boy, smiling when he took that into his mouth instead. </p><p>George took a few moments to get himself ready for bed, and when he returned back to Sapnap, the boy was already half asleep. George smiled to himself and crawled into bed next to the younger, wrapping his arms around him as Sapnap instinctively cuddled into his side. </p><p>George gently stroked the boy's hair as he soothed him to sleep. It may get on George's nerves when the boy doesn't pay attention to him, but he loved his little, and for Sapnap, he supposed he could deal with a short attention span.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. A King's Duty // Pt. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Dream and Karl CG!George and Quackity</p><p>Quackity did tell George that Karl needed a new friend. They simply hadn't expected the boys to have such explosive energy when left together for a playdate.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Heavy footsteps echoed loudly around the castle as soft giggles bounced off the walls. Quackity and George sat slumped against the nearest wall, an exhausted, slightly regretful look being shared between them. Karl and Dream ran past their caregivers, Karl chasing the taller boy with a wooden sword clutched in his grip. Dream was giggling, stumbling over his feet as he ran around the room. </p><p>"Come back here, Dweam! Imma get yoooou!" Karl sang out, earning a small squeal from Dream. </p><p>"Nu-uh! No one ever gets me! I'm da bestest!" Dream called back, causing George to raise an eyebrow.</p><p>"What are they even doing?" The brit mumbled as he watched them continue to taunt each other. </p><p>Quackity gave a small shrug and hummed. "Some kind of a manhunt I think." The younger responded causing George to snort.</p><p>"Of course they are. Does Dream ever do anything else?" He said as more of a statement, but it caused Quackity to laugh. "They're going to hurt themselves, you know. Karl has a wooden sword." George hummed out, glancing to Quackity who nodded in acknowledgment.</p><p>"Yeah, you're right," He said as he stood. "Perhaps we can get them to take a break and eat lunch. Finally, chill out." </p><p>"Wishful thinking," George responded as he stood as well. </p><p>Quackity smiled in amusement before quickly running over to Karl, scooping the boy into his arms, earning a squeal as the mentally younger of the two wriggled in Quackity's grasp. "Mama, lemme go!" Karl whined out. </p><p>Quackity chuckled a bit and shook his head. "No can do, baby. It's lunchtime!"</p><p>Karl let out another whine but stopped squirming, simply slumping in his caregiver's grasp. "But I was aboutta get him!" Karl complained. </p><p>Quackity smiled and carefully led the little to the kitchen. "I'm sure you were, baby."</p><p>Meanwhile, Dream was mentally celebrating his victory, looking behind him to watch Karl be taken away while he ran free. He giggled victoriously to himself until he ran face-first into George, who held the boy against his chest. Dream whined in protest but was quickly shushed by his caregiver who gave him a smile. "Come on, little one. It's time to put some food in your belly. But after lunch, I promise you boys can play some more, okay?"</p><p>Dream was quick to grin again, his stomach growling loudly at the idea of food causing the boy's cheeks to heat up in embarrassment. George laughed softly and led Dream to the kitchen, where Karl was sitting on the counter next to Quackity who had already begun making the boys their sandwiches. </p><p>Dream was quick to scramble up onto the counter to sit next to Karl (with George's help, of course) before the older male busied himself with cutting up some apples to go along with the sandwiches. The caregivers listened to the small chatter that went on between their littles as they filled their sippy cups with the appropriate drinks: Apple Juice for Dream, and Orange Juice for Karl. After a bit of convincing, they managed to get the boys off the counter and to the table where they belonged. Karl munched on his food happily whilst Dream took his time to nibble on it, but nobody complained. Compared to when they first started, Dream ate a significant amount of food when he was little, and typically without any fighting. </p><p>When the boys had finished their lunch, they ran off out of the kitchen, leaving their caregivers to scramble after them, while also trying to clean up from lunch. When they finally caught up, they found their littles (poorly) attempting to build a pillow fort of some sort. Blankets were sprawled out all over Dream's room, pillows were thrown around as the boys attempted to prop everything up. Quackity stifled his laughter and shook his head, making his way over to the boys. </p><p>"What are you silly boys trying to do?" He asked, looking around at the mess they had made. </p><p>"Tryna make a pillow forwt!" Dream said excitedly, clutching a blanket close to his chest. </p><p>Karl hummed and bit and nodded. "But da blankies and pillows won' stay up," Karl said with a cute pout, causing Quackity to coo.</p><p>"Well, why don't you boys let me help you set that up hm? And I'm sure George will pick out a movie so we can all cuddle up once it's done, does that sound good?" He questioned, earning eager nods from the littles.</p><p>Quackity began helping the boys set everything up properly as George smiled. He had to admit, Quackity was rather clever when it came to getting the boys to wind down and not take notice. It was a skill he had yet to develop, but so desperately wanted. George shook his head a bit and made his way to the TV. He turned it on and prepared Ratatouille to be played. Both boys had always been big fans of Pixar movies, and George knew Dream was far less picky about what they watched than Karl was. When George turned back, the other three boys were settling into the fort, which was now standing upright. Dream whined and reached out for George when he noticed the older looking at them causing George to smile. He carefully squeezed in next to Dream before starting the movie. </p><p>Karl and Dream were sandwiched between Quackity and George, a caregiver on each side. Karl was almost instantly sucked into the movie, but Dream seemed as though he was having trouble focusing. Instead, the boy began fidgeting with George's fingers, seemingly more entranced by them than the movie itself. George smiled contently and gently ran his finger's through the boy's hair. The action caused Dream to gaze up at the older. George gave a soft look at how small the boy looked. Wide eyes didn't hold much thought behind them, his lips slightly parted as he simply stared at his caregiver. George smiled softly and spoke in a whisper, trying not to disturb the two sitting next to them. </p><p>"Feeling smaller, baby?" He asked softly, simply earning a nod and slight whine from the little. "Do you want your soother?" He murmured softly, quickly earning a small nod in response. </p><p>Shifting over slightly, George grabbed Dream's soother from the bedside table. It was nothing fancy, simply a plain green one, but he knew how much Dream loved it. He carefully put it in the younger's mouth, relaxing when the boy curled into his side. Dream rested his head on his shoulder and closed his eyes. George went back to messing with his hair and shifted his gaze to look at Karl and Quackity. </p><p>Quackity gave George an exhausted smile, the other caregiver also holding Karl, who was also sleeping peacefully. They loved their littles dearly, and they were thrilled they got along so well, but they had never expected them to be so energetic together. After such a fun-filled day, the caregivers were thinking it was a good idea to join their littles in their naps.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Reckless</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Dream CG!Phil and Techno</p><p>Dream didn't know where to go after George and Sapnap kicked him out. No one else liked him. He hadn't meant to be so reckless, and somehow, he ended up on the steps of his enemy's wooden cabin.</p><p>Warnings: Angst, self-loathing</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dream's legs burned as he walked through the woods that surrounded him. The sun was beginning to set, and the temperature was dropping significantly. It wasn't particularly normal for it to be getting so cold, but Dream couldn't find it in himself to care much. He felt dizzy, and his world felt as though it was collapsing. Tears streamed down the poor boy's cheeks as he sniffled, both from his crying and the runny nose the cold weather had given him. Dream could hardly breathe. Everything he had done for them; to protect them, to make them happy, to give them everything they could have ever wanted...he had done everything for them. And it was returned by abandonment. </p><p>Dream could hardly see where he was going as his vision blurred with a fresh set of tears. Had they taken him for granted? Or had he truly crossed a line? His own best friends, brothers at heart, had sent him away. They didn't want him anymore. Nobody else did either. He had purposely distanced himself from everyone, and he was okay with that. He had done that to keep his friends safe, but now, while walking through the cold, wintery forest alone, he began to wonder if his friends had even wanted him in the first place. </p><p>He knew he had upset George by dethroning him, but Tommy burnt down his house, and people were hunting him! It was just to keep him safe, he swore! And he knew Sapnap was angry that he gave away Beckerson, but no matter how many times he had tried to explain he gave Tommy a fake, Sapnap never seemed to believe him. Dream was lost. He looked around and all he could see were trees and snow. The boy let out a panicked whimper before he finally spotted chimney smoke floating over a mountain top. It was nearly night time, and with what little energy he had left,  the boy began to scramble his way over the mountain, not thinking about what it may be that awaited him on the other side. </p><p>Truly, Dream didn't think of the consequences that knocking on the door of a cozy-looking cabin would have until he saw who answered the door. The feeling in the air very quickly shifted from desperation to fear as Dream watched Techno's expression shift from one of confusion to one of anger. </p><p>"What are you doing here, Dream?" Techno grunted out, his hand instinctively reaching towards his hip where his sword sat in its sheath. </p><p>Dream felt his breath hitch as he began to panic. He had had to leave in such a rush, he hadn't had the chance to grab any of his weapons. He didn't want to fight, he couldn't fight. He was going to die, he knew it. He didn't want to die. "Didn' know this was your house, wasn't payin' attention. Don' have anywhere else, m'sorry." Dream muttered out, refusing to make eye contact with the man as he rubbed at his eyes to will the tears away, though it didn't do much as new tears began falling in their place. </p><p>Techno's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he stared at the man in front of him. This wasn't Dream, not the one he knew, anyways. "Do you um, want to come in?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as Dream let out a sniffle. "It's going to be night time soon, anyway." </p><p>Dream glanced up at Techno with big tears in his green eyes as he gave a sheepish nod. Techno moved aside and watched as Dream shuffled into his home. His face was bright red from a mix of crying and the chill wind. Techno closed the door behind him and cleared his throat. "Um, sit in front of the fire, warm up. Phil is visiting, so I'll go get him. He can probably help." Techno mumbled before walking down a hallway, disappearing from Dream's vision. </p><p>Dream couldn't find it in himself to fight what the man had said. Instead, he shuffled over to the fireplace and plopped down on the floor, continuing to sniffle and rub at his eyes until he felt a gentle hand rest on his shoulder. </p><p>"Don't rub your eyes too hard, you're going to irritate them." A soft voice mumbled out. </p><p>Dream slowly looked up and watched as Phil sat next to him. The older man gave the boy a small, reassuring smile, and that was enough to have Dream bursting out into tears. Techno watched from behind in concern as Dream crawled into Phil's lap once the older man offered it. Phil wrapped his arms around the younger boy and gently stroked a hand through his hair as he rocked him, though Dream seemed inconsolable at that point. It wasn't his first time caring for a little, and the signs of Dream being regressed were far too obvious, which is why he made Techno wait to the side. He sat patiently with Dream as the boy continued to cry, and never once tried to force the boy to talk. It was only when the younger had reduced himself to sniffle and hiccups did Phil try to question him.</p><p>"What happened, little one? What are you doing way out here at this time of the day all by yourself?" He asked softly, watching the boy choke down another sob.</p><p>"Sappy n' Gogy don' wan' me no more an' told me to go away." He said with a small whine, clutching onto Phil's shirt desperately. </p><p>Phil frowned to himself and carefully cradled Dream against him. He understood the two boys being upset at Dream, but throwing him out, knowing he was a little was a new level, and one Phil simply didn't agree with. If you agree to be a caregiver, you make that commitment. But that was something he would deal with another time. "That doesn't sound very nice of them, now does it?" He asked softly. "How could someone want to get rid of a precious little thing like you?" Phil cooed softly, smiling when he noticed Dream start to blush. </p><p>"I wan' dem to wan' me." He whispered out. </p><p>Phil hummed softly and shook his head, allowing the boy to play with his fingers. "They seem like pretty bad people if they don't want you. But that's okay because guess what?" Phil said softly, giving Dream a smile when the boy looked up to him. "We want you. And we want you to stay here with us so you can be all safe and comfy." Phil said firmly, glancing at Techno with a knowing look.</p><p>Techno gave a small nod but felt himself falter when he caught Dream looking at him with wide, surprised eyes. "Reawwy?" He asked quietly.</p><p>Techno flushed and cleared his throat, giving a small nod as he awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Yeah, of course. You can stay as long as you want to, buddy. We'll take care of you." He assured, causing the little to give them his first smile of the night. </p><p>Their dynamic may not have been perfect, and Techno still may have wanted to kill the little when he was big half the time, but they made it work. And slowly but surely, they were becoming their own little mismatched family.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Comfort</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Dream CG!Techno</p><p>After being locked away, Dream stopped bothering to take care of himself. Sam attempted to make the man do the bare minimum, but there was only so much he could do. So when things got really bad, Sam snuck Techno into the prison after hours for a secret visit.</p><p>Warnings: Angst. </p><p>Any English translations will be at the end of the chapter!!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Techno was working quietly amongst his house in the dead of night. It was one of those nights where sleep was refusing to come to him, so instead of dwelling on it, he decided to make the best of it and do something productive. In the midst of Ranboo moving in with him, his chests had fallen into disarray, so Techno decided to busy himself with reorganizing them. Luckily, Ranboo had fallen asleep quite a while ago, and though it meant he had to be quiet, it allowed him to have some much-needed alone time. However, this plan was quickly disturbed when someone knocked on his door. </p><p>Techno huffed in annoyance as he stood from where he kneeled before a chest. It was nearly one in the morning, what was somebody doing at his house? Techno didn't particularly appreciate the disturbance but opened the door regardless. However, when he was greeted with the unlikely face of Sam, Techno's look of annoyance dropped into one of concern as he stared at the man before him. </p><p>"Sam. What are you doing here, especially this late at night?" Techno questioned with a frown. </p><p>Sam gave Techno a rather exhausted look and ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. "I'm sorry, Techno. I tried to do everything I could, I swear. But, Dream isn't taking care of himself. Something is wrong with him." Sam said with a frown. "I know I shouldn't care because he's a prisoner and all, but I literally have to force him to eat and drink. I figured, you guys always seemed to hang out when he wasn't in prison, maybe you would know how to help? But I also thought maybe you wouldn't want to be seen going to the prison. So I thought maybe coming to get you at night would be better?" Sam said with a sigh, though he sounded unsure of himself.</p><p>Techno frowned to himself in thought before retreating into his house. He scribbled a note down for Ranboo that something came up and he'd be back soon in case he wasn't back by morning before returning to the door with a small backpack. "I know about your stupid rules, but if you want me to help any, you're going to need to let me bring this into his cell," Techno said firmly, nodding to the bag on his back. "You can check what's in it, I don't care. But it's coming in with me."</p><p>Sam gave an uneasy look before holding a hand out for the bag. He quickly opened it up and dug through it once it was handed over, but only found himself more confused. It was full of stuffed animals, pacifiers, bottles of milk and had a fluffy blanket tucked at the very bottom. Sam gave Techno a quizzical look, but the other man simply stared at Sam expectantly. Sam cleared his throat and tucked everything away once more. "Um, sure. But I'll be watching on the security cameras."</p><p>"Suit yourself," Techno mumbled before grabbing his bag and walking out, making his way towards the prison.</p><p>Sam blinked in shock before quickly trailing after the Piglin who walked into the prison without much hesitation at all. Techno's eyes were hardened, his expression unwavering. In any other situation, Sam would have been concerned. Techno looked like a man on a mission, and that was unsettling to him. Usually, he was the stoic one while in the prison. Yet he saw no need to be intimidating towards Techno given the current scenario. </p><p>"Okay, um, just follow me through the guard's entrance. It'll be faster and more direct." Sam mumbled, swiping his access card before leading Techno through an iron door. Techno followed in silence, his eyes scanning the prison and silently marveling in the build, though he made no comments on it. That wasn't what he was here for. Not this time. </p><p>They walked for a decent amount of time before the pair eventually came to a stop outside of another iron door, the sign above it labeling it as Dream's cell. "Okay, here we are. When you're ready to leave, just call for me and I'll come to get you, okay?"</p><p>Techno gave a solid nod and stepped through the door silently once Sam opened it. It shut and locked behind him with a soft thud, and Techno took a moment to look around. They were in a small cell made of obsidian. There was a chest in the right-hand corner, and next to it was a desk with a few writing materials. A small cauldron of water was placed next to the desk, and a clock hung centered above it. A large wall of lava flowed down directly across from where Techno stood. Despite the direct heat source, Techno was easily able to notice the cold environment of the room. When his eyes finally landed on Dream, Techno found himself frowning. The man was sitting on a white bed directly across from the desk. His knees were pulled to his chest and he was curled up so his face was hidden. He looked as though he had lost weight. His shirt hung off of him, and his hair looked messy and disheveled. He knew Techno was there, yet he made no effort to acknowledge the man's presence. </p><p>Techno said nothing and simply set the bag he carried with him down. He dug to the bottom and pulled out a velvety pastel green blanket-Dream's favorite-before gently draping it over the man's shoulders. Dream flinched and shoved the blanket off, mumbling something into his knees that Techno barely heard, but caught enough of to understand. </p><p>"Stop. I don't need that. I don't deserve it."</p><p>Techno's frown deepened as he grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around the boy, holding it on him until he finally looked up and met Techno's gaze. Techno was taken back at first. The Dream he once knew was not the Dream he was looking at now. Bright green eyes that were once filled with energy and ambition looked dull and broken. Dark bags sat under his eyes, making them look sunken in; his cheeks were caked with dry tears. </p><p>"Dream, don't talk like that," Techno said firmly. "I wouldn't be here right now if you didn't deserve it, and you know that." </p><p>Dream frowned as his eyes filled with new tears, causing him to break eye contact with the man standing over him. "No. You're here for little me. I'm not little, Techno. Just leave."</p><p>Techno sighed softly and sat on the edge of the bed next to Dream, giving Dream a soft look. "Maybe not. But Sam tells me you haven't been taking care of yourself. And little or not, that breaks quite a bit of our rules, doesn't it? So maybe you need to be little, just for a bit. Let me take care of you, Dream."</p><p>"No!" Dream nearly shouted before quieting down when Techno's expression shifted from soft to stern and slightly irritated. "I just...I don't deserve to be taken care of, Techno. I deserve to be in here...I thought I was doing good. I didn't know I was hurting everyone, but I did! So I deserve to be hurt too." He mumbled his voice practically a whisper by the end of his sentence. </p><p>Techno narrowed his eyes and gently took ahold of one of Dream's hands. "Dream, being in here is punishment enough. Forcing yourself to stay big is an awful, awful thing to do, and I won't accept it. So either you can let yourself slip with me and let me take care of you, or I am going to make you slip even if you don't want to because you need to." Techno said firmly.</p><p>Dream stared at Techno in silence for a long moment while the older stared back expectantly. Dream parted his lips as though he planned to say something, but before anything came out, the boy burst into quiet sobs as he reached out for Techno desperately. </p><p>Techno's expression softened slightly as he gently pulled the little into his lap, holding him close as he cried into Techno's shirt. Techno gently stroked his hair and bounced him in his lap soothingly, though never once said anything. He had no idea what the boy was thinking, but he knew he had been alone with his thoughts for a few weeks, and if anyone knew how terrifying of a thing that could be, it was Techno.</p><p>Once the boy finally calmed down to soft sniffles and hiccups, Techno pulled back slightly, just enough to be able to see the little's face. "Hey there, mikró," He said softly, his voice just above a whisper. "You're feeling pretty light. Have you been eating well?" He questioned, though he already knew the answer. </p><p>Dream let out a soft whimper and shook his head, his lower lip wobbling as more tears threatened to spill from his eyes. Techno simply smiled in understanding and hummed. "Óla synchoroúntai. Do you want a bottle?" He murmured softly, gently brushing the hair out of Dream's face. </p><p>Dream nodded just a bit and kept himself firmly in place as Techno shifted to grab a bottle out of the backpack. Dream watch and let out a soft whine to catch Techno's attention, which he did successfully. The mentally older man glanced at the little, who rapidly pointed into the bag at a small stuffed horse. Techno's lips twitched up as he reached in and gently grabbed it. "You want Spirit?" He asked softly, chuckling a bit and handing it over when Dream nodded and desperately reached out for the plush toy. </p><p>The stuffy had been something Techno had gotten for the boy after Dream's horse had been killed, and Dream had treated it like his most prized possession ever since. The two boys moved and laid back to where Dream was laying against Techno's chest, while the Piglin was propped up against the pillows. Techno helped to support Dream as he fed the boy his bottled, which Dream happily drank. The milk wasn't warm, but truthfully, it was the best thing he had tasted since he was put in prison. Techno had begun humming a soft tune under his breath, though Dream wasn't sure when he had started. </p><p>The little's eyes began to feel droopy as he finished the last of his bottle, though he refused to move from his position cuddled up against Techno. Techno shifted carefully, keeping his movements slow and subtle as he carefully grabbed the little's soother from his backpack. Dream didn't fight the soother being placed into his mouth, in fact, he accepted it rather happily. Techno continued humming softly until he heard soft snores coming from the boy on top of him. He would need to talk to Dream in the morning about eating some real food and taking better care of himself while he wasn't there, and perhaps he could compromise and make more visits like this if Sam allowed him to, but for now, he was simply happy his little was finally getting the rest he very much needed. </p><p>"Kaló ýpno, mikró. I'll talk to you in the morning."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Greek Translations:</p><p>Mikró - Little one</p><p>Óla synchoroúntai - All is forgiven</p><p>Kaló ýpno - Sleep well</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. So Cold Yet So Warm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Ghostbur CG!GhostSchlatt</p><p>Wilbur had always hidden his regression from everyone but his family. After dying, one of the most prominent memories he kept was his regression, though as a ghost he saw no need to do it. That was until Schlatt showed up in his little ghostly world and sent him spiraling without even knowing it.</p><p>Warnings: Swearing</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wilbur walked, or rather floated, around the SMP quietly. He watched from the sidelines as all his friends worked on rebuilding and recover what remained of L'Manberg. Wilbur didn't really understand why everyone looked so upset. He also didn't completely remember why L'Manberg was in shambles the way it was. All he really remembered was building a wonderful nation with his brother and all the beautiful friendships he had formed in the process. He knew his father always looked upset and distressed when he went to visit him, but what for, he simply couldn't remember. The only memories he had with his father were the memories of his dad taking care of him when he felt small and vulnerable. And those were good memories, right? Or had he truly been such a terrible son that Phil no longer wanted to see him after death?</p><p>Wilbur didn't like those thoughts. They made him uncomfortable. He wasn't certain he was capable of feeling sad, but they certainly made him uncomfortable and...vulnerable. Was it possible to feel vulnerable as a ghost? What was there to feel vulnerable about? He had nothing to worry about, and quite literally didn't have to worry about any consequences. Wilbur hadn't quite realized he had drifted into thought until a voice pulled him out of them.</p><p>"Where the fuck am I?" A voice sounded from behind him. </p><p>Wilbur jumped and quickly turned around to face the man behind him, but tilted his head in confusion when he saw Schlatt. However, Schlatt wasn't the Schlatt he knew. The man appeared to be the same, greyish color that Wilbur himself was. He also appeared to be floating above the ground - just like Wilbur did. </p><p>"Oh! Hello Schlatt!" Wilbur greeted warmly, causing Schlatt to give him a strange look. "Are you dead too? How did you die?" He asked curiously.</p><p>Schlatt cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Um, yeah. Heart attack." He murmured, causing Wilbur to frown a bit. </p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry. That just doesn't sound very pleasant." Wilbur stated before digging through his coat pocket, holding out a small blue object. "Here, have some blue! It will make you feel better!" </p><p>Schlatt furrowed his eyebrows before hesitantly taking the object. He stared at it for a moment before looking at Wilbur with a distressed look. "Why are you being nice to me, Wilbur?"</p><p>Wilbur frowned and tilted his head in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?"</p><p>"Oh, I don't know, because I took your fucking nation from you and ruined it?" He huffed out with furrowed brows. </p><p>Wilbur's eyes went wide, his lips parting slightly in confusion. "I- you did?" He asked softly. </p><p>Schlatt only seemed to be more confused by this as he leaned against a nearby tree. "Yeah. Do you not remember?"</p><p>Wilbur slowly shook his head and sat down next to where Schlatt stood. "Nu-uh. I think I only remember happy things." He said honestly. "Why does everyone look so sad? And why is L'Manberg all...messed up?" He asked curiously, looking up Schlatt. </p><p>Schlatt hesitated before sitting down next to his fellow ghost. "I don't think that's something you need to remember." He admitted. </p><p>"But...I want to know. Maybe if I know I can help everyone and, and-"</p><p>"I said no, Wilbur. I'm not telling you." Schlatt said firmly giving Wilbur a firm look that held nothing but sternness. </p><p>For the first time since Wilbur had made L'manberg, Wilbur could feel his head become fuzzy. Wilbur stared silently for a moment before slowly beginning to nod. "I- um, okay." He said in a soft tone. </p><p>Schlatt's expression softened, the man clearly noticing the change in Wilbur's behavior, but chose not to say anything about it. "So, what do you do here? You know, since you've been alone."</p><p>Wilbur let out a soft hum and fiddled with a piece of blue absent-mindedly as he spoke. "Um, I like to visit my friends! And sometimes, when everyone is busy, I just walk around. I like to watch bees. Tubbo likes bees, you know. They remind me of him!" He chirped out, though his voice was slowly falling a bit softer, and slightly more high pitched as he spoke. </p><p>Schlatt made eye contact with the man next to him and noted the strange body movement. He seemed to be fidgeting a lot, shifting as he sat and seemed to have trouble holding eye contact for long. Wilbur gazed up at Schlatt, who held a slightly confused yet comforting look in his eyes that had Wilbur slipping faster than he swore ever had. </p><p>"Yeah, yeah, I know. He did like to talk about bees a lot when we hung out together." Schlatt said softly, causing Wilbur to squirm.</p><p>"Mhm. And I like to visit Techie, cause he has a lot of doggies now! He also has an enderman named Edward! He lives in a boat and vibrates." He said with a giggle. </p><p>Schlatt tilted his head softly and hummed, taking a moment to silently look the boy over. Wilbur squirmed a bit and glanced up at Schlatt shyly. "Why're you lookin' at me like that?" </p><p>Schlatt smiled a bit and hummed. "Just thinking." Schlatt mused softly, eyes shining in amusement when Wilbur whined a bit. </p><p>"Stop it. I don' like it." He said with a small pout.</p><p>Schlatt chuckled a bit and leaned his head back against the tree. "Hey Wilbur, are you doing that thing that Tubbo used to do with me? Age regressing is what I think he called it?" He asked curiously. </p><p>Wilbur's eyes lit up as he gave a quick nod. "Uh-huh! Tubs does it too?" He asked curiously.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah. Said he started after becoming my right-hand man." Schlatt said honestly before looking to Wilbur again. "So, how old are you right now?"</p><p>Wilbur's lips pursed in thought before he held up three fingers. "M'three!" </p><p>Schlatt hummed softly and gave a small nod. "You're pretty small right now then, hm?"</p><p>Wilbur gave a nod and grinned at him. "I like bein' small. I's actually remembers it! Da would take care of me when I was small n' stuff."</p><p>Schlatt hummed lightly in understanding and nodded. "I used to take care of Tubbo. It was nice, you know? To know someone put their trust in me entirely. No one else did that."</p><p>Wilbur fiddled with the hem of his sweater before looking up to Schlatt with wide eyes. "Um, will you's take care of me?" He asked quietly before backtracking nervously. "You's don' have to! But da doesn' seem happy awound me ri'now, n' nobody else knows but Techie, n' he's always busy."</p><p>Schlatt cut the boy off by gently running a hand through Wilbur's curly hair. Wilbur leaned up into the touch, and Schlatt hummed softly. "Relax, Wil. I'll take care of you if you want me to." He assured softly. </p><p>Wilbur took a moment before quickly curling up against Schlatt. Schlatt wrapped his arm's around the boy and held him close, relaxing into the gentle embrace. Unlike a normal hug, there was no warmth in their embrace. Their touch was cold and lacked the usual comfort that came with cuddles, but it was enough for them. After all, they were all the other had, and they weren't going to be taking any of it for granted.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Flustered</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Ranboo CG!Philza and Techno</p><p>Ranboo moves in with Techno and Phil. He didn't necessarily hide his little space, but he didn't tell the elders of it either. When Techno walks in on a regressed Ranboo, the embarrassment that takes over the older is enough to leave the little amused.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ranboo sat quietly in his room under a thick bundle of blankets. One of Techno's many dogs from his hound army had found its way into the main section of the cabin, and who was Ranboo to kick her back out? So instead, the little sat on his bed, cuddled up with the wolf as he sucked on his pacifier. The wolf was rather amusing, rolling over on her belly, sticking her tongue out, and licking Ranboo's face any time he giggled or gave a reaction of any kind. </p><p>Ranboo grinned and sunk his hands into the wolf's soft, fluffy fur. The cabin was quiet, Phil and Techno having said they were going on some sort of resource gathering adventure that Ranboo honestly didn't care much about. But that had been hours ago, and Ranboo was enjoying the peace. So when his bedroom door opened up, the little was quite startled as he looked up to see Techno entering his room. </p><p>"Hey Ranboo, one of my wolves is missing, I was wondering if you had seen her-" Techno paused as he finally looked over to the younger boy, who was simply staring at him with big eyes, holding the missing wolf close to his body. </p><p>"Cami right here." He mumbled out in response, his words slightly muffled by the pacifier in his mouth. </p><p>Techno stared in silence for a long moment before flushing brightly, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Uh, yeah. I see that. Um, sorry for, um, not knocking and stuff." He mumbled out, rubbing the back of his neck.</p><p>Though Ranboo simply giggled a bit. "I's otay, Techie!" The younger chirped out, causing Techno to glance up at him in surprise. </p><p>"It is?" He asked unsurely. </p><p>"Mhm!" He hummed out, nodding his head with a bit too much enthusiasm, causing the older to smile a bit. </p><p>"Um, do you want to come out of your room? You can come hang out with Phil and I." He offered, flinching in surprise when Ranboo gasped excitedly and jumped up, causing the wolf to jump away from Ranboo and run circles around the room excitedly. </p><p>Techno nodding a bit and offered a hand to Ranboo, which the younger happily took, and led the small boy out to the living room where Phil already resided. When Phil heard their footsteps and looked back at the pair, he had to hold back a small coo upon seeing Ranboo in an oversized sweater and with a pacifier. </p><p>Phil had messed up with his previous children. He felt guilt over killing Wilbur every day, and his ending with Wilbur had caused him to neglect Tommy. He had messed up and hurt his boy. He was glad Tommy was finally in safe care now that he had found Sam, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to do better with Ranboo. And he would try to do better with Ranboo. </p><p>"Hey there, little one. What're you doing?" Phil asked softly, giving the boy a smile. </p><p>Ranboo gave a small grin, his pacifier finally falling out of his mouth, but he had been smart enough to clip it to his shirt ahead of time. "Techie came lookin' for Cami an' said I should come out here wif you!"</p><p>Phil gave a warm smile and patted the spot on the couch next to him. Ranboo let go of Techno's hand and stumbled over to the other, quickly curling up next to him. "Why didn't you tell us about you feeling small, baby? We could have taken care of you, you know." Phil murmured soothingly, gently running his fingers through the boy's hair. </p><p>Ranboo chirped softly in approval at the action, the older's soft behavior towards him causing him to slip smaller, but nobody seemed to mind. "Didn' wanna be bother." He mumbled out, his words slowly beginning to slur together. </p><p>Techno hummed and sat on the arm of the couch, next to the little. "You aren't a bother, bub. We'd be happy to take care of you. You've just got to promise to tell us when you're small." He said softly, causing Ranboo to gaze up at him with wide eyes and simply nod. </p><p>Phil smiled softly and gently held his pacifier back up to his lips. "It's alright, baby. Just relax for tonight. We can talk more when you feel big again." He soothed softly, causing Ranboo to quickly take the object between his lips again. </p><p>Their dynamic may have shifted that night, but it was for the better. Ranboo trusted his caregivers with his life, and his caregivers would do anything to keep their little one out of harm's way.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. :)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Ranboo CG!Dream</p><p>Sapnap delivers Ranboo a message from Dream. Ranboo may not remember much, but that message is one thing he could never forget.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ranboo stared at Sapnap in confusion as the older man questioned him about his previous visits to Dream in prison. He didn't quite understand why Sapnap was so interested, but apparently, Dream had refused to talk to Sapnap at all, only writing his answers in his books. </p><p>"Yeah, apparently you were the last person to visit him. He says you haven't visited him in a while." Sapnap said with a hum, glancing at the younger curiously. </p><p>Ranboo rubbed at his wrist nervously and looked down to his feet. "Oh, was I? I didn't know. Guess I've just gotten busy." He said simply, giving a small shrug.</p><p>"Um, he said he wanted to see you again. Something about wanting you to visit more frequently." Sapnap stated, watching the younger curiously. "Why is that? He never really asks for anyone to visit other than George and I." </p><p>Ranboo swallowed a bit and stuttered over his words as he attempted to come up with some form of an excuse. "Um, I'm not sure. I don't remember my visits with Dream. I don't write them down. They aren't something I like to remember." He said softly, hiding the sour expression that threatened to take over his face.</p><p>Lies. He was telling him lies. He documented every single one of his visits with Dream in great detail. He loved to remember their visits and often times found himself wanting to visit more than he found himself able to. But he couldn't say that. Not when everyone in the SMP absolutely hated the man he adored. He simply couldn't help that he was able to look past the things the others couldn't. </p><p>Sapnap gave a soft, sympathetic look and nodded a bit. "I understand, I'm sorry. Um, he wanted me to give you a message? I'm not really sure what it means, but I figured it's harmless enough, you know?" He said softly, pulling a small, folded-up piece of paper out of his pocket before handing it to Ranboo. </p><p>Ranboo slowly took the paper and unfolded it. He slowly blinked and stared at the paper for a long moment. Back at him, stared a simple, drawn-out smiley face. Ranboo stared at the paper before slowly looking up and to the right. Sapnap watched with a concerned frown before hesitantly speaking. "I..does that mean something to you?"</p><p>Ranboo slowly looked to Sapnap before looking to his left. He stared for a moment before running off with no other words being said. Sapnap watched with a worried face as he watched the boy run. He wasn't certain what was happening, but he was hoping Ranboo would be okay.</p><p>Ranboo ran in the direction of his prison. His heart pounded in his chest as he stumbled along the SMP to the large black building he knew all too well. Ranboo felt as though he was floating. His head was spinning in the best way possible, making him feel ecstatic. It had been weeks since he had indulged in this feeling, but he had no intentions of pushing it away. </p><p>He was practically vibrating as he shuffled up to the entrance of the prison. He clumsily pushed the button next to the large iron door, and several moments later, it was opened up to reveal Sam on the other side. Sam looked down to Ranboo and gave the boy a soft, knowing look. Ranboo returned it with a sheepish smile of his own. Out of everyone on the SMP, Sam was the only person who knew of his relationship with Dream, as he had to escort Ranboo there every time, and kept an eye on them through the cameras. But much to Ranboo's surprise, Sam had been nothing but supportive to the boy. </p><p>"Hi there, Ranboo," Sam greeted. "Are you feeling small right now?" He asked curiously, earning a small nod in response. </p><p>Sam gave a nod in understanding and stepped aside so Ranboo could enter. Sam was always so careful not to use his prison guard persona when Ranboo was little, knowing how easily it could upset the boy, and he truly did appreciate it more than he was able to express. Ranboo slowly shuffled in, and Sam gently grabbed Ranboo's hand to assure the boy didn't get lost. Ranboo walked close by Sam as the older man led him through the guards' entrance of the prison, towards Dream's cell. Normally, Sam wouldn't let anyone through that portion of the prison, but when Ranboo arrived already small, he had learned very quickly that forcing him to go through the extensive security measures the prison had in place was not the brightest idea. Especially when Sam knew Ranboo was harmless while regressed. </p><p>Sam gave a warning knock on Dream's cell before opening it from the secret entrance he used for himself. Dream's head quickly lifted to look at the pair from where he sat on the ground, though he made no attempt to escape at all. Ranboo let out a happy little chirp and quickly let go of Sam, rushing over to Dream and practically throwing himself into the older's lap. </p><p>Sam gave a small smile and glanced to Dream. "Behave. Call if you need anything." He said simply before closing the door, leaving the two alone. </p><p>Dream relaxed and smiled softly, wrapping his arms around Ranboo and holding the boy close. "Hey, little one. Did you get my message?" He asked softly, his voice sounding raspy and nearly gone. </p><p>Ranboo hummed lightly and gave a small nod. "Glad chu' called forw me." He mumbled softly, looking up to Dream. "Why your voice sound bad?" </p><p>Dream hummed softly and gently stroked a hand through the boy's hair. "I had a fight with Tommy, little one. I lost my voice from screaming a bit too much. But don't worry, I'm okay now." He assured softly. </p><p>Ranboo chirped softly and nuzzled his face into the crook of Dream's neck. "Good. Don' wan' you sad." He mumbled out, causing Dream to coo softly. </p><p>"You're too sweet, you know that?" He murmured softly, pressing a kiss to the top of the boy's head.</p><p>Ranboo flushed softly and glanced up at his caregiver. "Why you call forw me?" He asked softly.</p><p>Dream smiled a bit and shrugged. "Bad week, and I've missed you. I just wanted to see my baby boy, and spend some time with you." </p><p>Ranboo giggled a bit and gave Dream a sheepish smile. "Missed you lots and lots. Don' like you bein' in here." He said softly, his words slowly starting to slur together more and more. </p><p>Dream smiled and lightly brushed some of Ranboo's hair from his face. "How old do you feel right now, little one?" </p><p>Ranboo bit his lip before holding up three fingers, then proceeding to put one down and put it back up. Dream smiled and shook his head, gently rubbing circles on Ranboo's back. "That's okay, baby. Are you still slipping smaller?" He questioned, earning a small nod and hum in response. </p><p>"Well, I don't think a small boy like you should have to be in such uncomfortable clothing." Dream said softly, taking a moment to tug off his green sweatshirt and help Ranboo into it. </p><p>The little giggled and snuggled into the sweatshirt before curling up in Dream's lap. The two sat in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's company; and when Ranboo subconsciously began chewing on the sleeve of his sweater, Dream couldn't find it in himself to stop him. He felt awful that he didn't have any better supplies for the younger boy, but Ranboo never seemed to mind. He was always just grateful to spend time with his caregiver, and no matter how many fights he got into with Sam over the conditions of his cell, one thing he would always be thankful for was that the prison guard still let him take care of his baby.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Old Habits Die Hard // Pt. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Awesamdude</p><p>Tommy's stay at the prison with Dream is finally over, but at what cost?</p><p>Warnings: Depression, trauma</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have officially decided I am going to write two endings to this series, simply because Tommy's death has caused me to change the way I was initially planning to end this series. So! This chapter will be the original ending and the next will be the alternate ending, and it will be up as soon as this chapter is posted! Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy sat across from Dream silently. His knees were hugged up to his chest as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. The tension between them was thick and uncomfortable. A part of Tommy just wanted to let himself slip, forget about the pain he was going through at that moment despite knowing Dream would not actually take care of him. Yet the more rational part of him was forcing himself to stay big because any time Dream caught onto Tommy almost slipping, the older man would try to take advantage, causing the younger to jerk out of his fuzzy headspace. </p><p>Tommy felt sick. He hadn't been able to sleep, not with Dream so close to him. His claustrophobia made him feel paranoid and panicked, an almost insistent, itchy feeling crept along his skin, making the boy squirm in discomfort. His eyes burned from lack of energy, but his fear of Dream doing something while he was in such a vulnerable state as sleeping was what forced him to stay awake. A barely nibbled-on potato sat next to him. Tommy hadn't been able to eat recently. He was so stressed recently, that the one time he managed to eat the entire potato, he had thrown it up just minutes later in a wave of nausea. </p><p>The silence of the cell was daunting. Any and every little noise made the younger flinch, and Dream simply watched in silence, waiting for the moment that Tommy would finally slip so he could take over and take advantage. Tommy had lost count of how many days he had been in there. A week? Maybe two? Tommy was angry. He was supposed to be free after seven days. That was the deal he made with Sam, yet Sam refused to let him out. Why? Didn't Sam love him? Wasn't the older supposed to be taking care of him and looking out for his safety? Tommy simply didn't understand. He felt tortured and terrified. He felt like the walls were getting smaller with each passing minute as he himself grew smaller. He wanted to stay angry. He wanted to continue to be rebellious and fight Dream off, or perhaps at least get the older to leave him alone, yet he could barely find it in himself to form a sentence. </p><p>He could feel Dream's eyes staring into him as he curled in on himself. The days of being out in the open fields during his exile washed back over him in heavy waves of unwanted nostalgia. Small doses of comfort and relaxation crept through his cracked exterior as he tried so desperately to fight off the inevitable fight against his headspace. But the loud banging of a door slamming against a wall frightened the poor boy, causing him to spiral into a deep headspace he likely wouldn't be coming out of for days. </p><p>Big blue eyes looked towards the source of the sound in fright. Soft brown eyes met the little's gaze, and the only thing Tommy could process was the sight of his caregiver's face. He hadn't even processed that he was crawling to Sam, or that he had begun to cry until Sam had picked him up and tucked his face into the crook of his neck where Tommy sobbed freely. Hands desperately clutched at the dark green fabric of Sam's hoodie as the older held him close and silently rocked him. They stood still for just a few moments. Not that Tommy really realized they weren't moving, he was too far gone in his own head, but the tense body language of his caregiver as Sam stared Dream down with a cold and calculated glare was enough to allow the little to feel safe, even in a place he felt panicked just moments prior. </p><p>Dream looked as though he wanted to say something, but Sam didn't give him the right. Instead, the older walked out of the guard's door and locked it behind him, silently carrying the little back to his house. Sam didn't try to speak. He simply allowed the soft rocking of his walk to soothe the little as they walked home, and by the time they made it, Tommy was simply sniffling and hiding in Sam's comfort. Sam sat on his couch and held the little in his lap. He gently ran his fingers through the curly blonde locks before speaking in a quiet voice. </p><p>"Are you okay, Toms?"</p><p>Tommy let out a choked whimper that simply broke Sam's heart before pulling his head away from Sam's shoulder, peering up at the older. "Why you leave me in dere, Mr. Nook?" He asked with a small tremble in his voice. "Dweam bad man. Made me feel bad n' was scawy. Didn' wanna be there." He practically whispered, causing Sam to frown.</p><p>"I know, little one, and I'm sorry. I wanted to make sure it was safe outside first. I wasn't thinking very clearly. I was just trying to keep you safe." Sam responded softly, though the guilt was so evident in his voice, that even Tommy caught onto it, even in his regressed state. </p><p>"I's otay," He said with a sniffle. "Jus' don' leave me again. Wanna be safe." He pleaded softly, earning a nod in response from Sam.</p><p>"Of course, little one. I won't go anywhere ever again. Now, you haven't been eating, have you?" Sam asked softly, earning a guilty look from Tommy. "It's okay," The older assured instantly. "I know you'd had a very hard and scary few days. I'm not upset. I'm just going to make sure I take care of you now." Sam said softly, earning a nod from Tommy before the boy began nibbling on the collar of his shirt. </p><p>Sam hummed softly and shook his head. "How old are you, little one?" He asked quietly.</p><p>Tommy stared at Sam for a long moment with wide eyes before giving a blink and slowly raising a single finger. Sam smiled and cooed softly before gently taking the shirt from the boy's mouth. "So young today, aren't you?" He cooed softly, doing his best to treat it as any other day of regression in hopes of helping the boy relax and move on from what had happened until he was big and felt ready to talk about it. "Why don't we get you into some comfy clothes, and then I can get you a bottle. How does that sound?" Sam questioned softly, earning a small nod from the younger.</p><p>Sam gently lifted Tommy and carried him to his room before setting him on his bed. He carefully helped the boy change into a pair of fluffy pajamas before gently placing a red and white pacifier between his lips. "Okay little one, are you okay waiting here while I go make you a bottle?" Sam asked softly, standing up when he earned a nod in response. </p><p>As Sam left, Tommy shuffled under the covers. His mind felt hazy and cloudy, and he couldn't entirely process what was happening around him, though he wasn't certain that was much of a bad thing. Sam returned just a moment later with a warmed bottle of milk and shimmied under the covers next to Tommy. He held the boy close as he quietly fed the boy, humming a soft tune as the younger began drifting to sleep. </p><p>Sam would never admit it to Tommy, he didn't need the younger feeling worse than he already did, but he felt awful about having left the little in that cell for so long. He regretted every moment he left Tommy with Dream, and he would do anything and everything he could to help piece his little broken boy back together again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Old Habits Die Hard // Pt. 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Dream and Awesamdude</p><p>Tommy is finally released from his misery of the prison but was it really worth the price he had to pay?</p><p>Warnings: Abusive CG, manipulation, fighting, swearing, MAJOR CHARACTER DEATHS, minor gore</p><p>ALTERNATE ENDING/FINALE</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ranboo, Tubbo, Sam, Puffy, Philza, and Techno all stood outside of Tommy's house with grief-stricken looks. The world around them was silent and tense. Words that needed to be spoken would never have the chance to be said, and memories they all carried would be the only things they had left. The sun behind them was setting as night began to fall, yet no one could bring themselves to move from their spot, even as mobs began to find their way to the surface. Thoughts of what could have been and what should have been plagued their mind, eating away at their sanity until someone decided to break their silence. </p><p>"I can't believe he's dead. Surely he isn't actually dead, right?" Tubbo spoke quietly, a soft tremble in his voice as he choked back a new set of tears that threatened to spill. Ranboo wrapped his arms around his friend and held him close, unable to stop his own tears from falling, and finding himself unbothered by the soft stinging sensation it brought with it. </p><p>"This isn't right. Tommy wasn't supposed to die. That kid was a hero. He would have never let himself die by being beaten to death. And he would have never let it be at the hands of Dream." Techno grunted out, though it was impossible to miss the strain in his voice. </p><p>"He was such a good boy. He didn't deserve to die. Not like this." Puffy whispered out, a small sniffle following her words as she attempted to stay strong for the younger boys around them. </p><p>"I did so much wrong while raising him," Phil said quietly, eyes unable to leave the building that Tommy once called home. "But Tommy was a good kid. We had our fights, and he had his struggles, but he didn't deserve death. He didn't deserve it." Phil said in a tone just above a whisper, his voice cracking as he finished his sentence. </p><p>Ranboo sniffled a bit and looked to Sam with a glare, despite the older man having stayed silent. "This is your fault, Sam." He hissed out angrily, causing everyone to gasp softly in shock. "If you had just obeyed your own fucking contract, Tommy wouldn't be dead! What kind of parental figure knowingly leaves their kid locked up with their abuser? How could you do that to him?" Ranboo choked out, shakily pulling away from Tubbo as he walked towards the entrance of Tommy's house. </p><p>Ranboo reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, purple flower. "Remember this flower, Tommy? It's the first thing I ever gave to you when we met." He said with a small sniffle, though a shadow of a smile graced his lips. "You told me you got rid of it, but I found it in one of your chests, and um, I thought you should have it back. So here, Tommy. Have a flower." He said softly as he tossed the flower in front of the doorway. He stood in silence for just a moment before collapsing to his knees, sobs shaking his body. Tubbo ran over and quickly embraced his friends, and though the words were quiet, everyone could just barely hear as Ranboo choked out the words, "Nobody's here to pick up the flower this time."</p><p>Tears pricked Sam's eyes as he watched all of his friends grieve. He knew this had been his fault. Ranboo was right. He should have let Tommy go when the seven days were up, but he was terrified someone was trying to hurt Tommy, and the prison seemed like it was the safest place at the time. That would be a decision Sam would learn to regret for the rest of his life. Sam silently backed away and began making his way in the opposite direction. Thoughts swarmed his head as he moved, regret and guilt bogged down his thoughts in ways he wasn't sure he would ever move on from. </p><p>---</p><p>"No, no, no, Dream! You're wrong, you're a liar! That damn book isn't real! Schlatt is dead! I saw his corpse, he isn't coming back!" Tommy yelled out.</p><p>Sam could feel panic run through him as he looked to the security cameras. It wasn't unusual for Tommy and Dream to be fighting; in fact, Sam was positive there wasn't a moment they hadn't stopped fighting since Tommy got stuck there. Sam watched as Dream clenched his fists and took a step closer to Tommy. Tommy flinched back and bit the edge of his knuckle. It was a clear sign of regression, and not one Sam wanted to see in this particular moment. Sam stood up and darted out of the security room. He began running towards the cell, but he wasn't sure what was happening, and that terrified him. </p><p>A small yelp echoed through the mostly empty halls of the prison, followed by a soft sob and a plea for it to stop. It was Tommy yelling for help. Sam's lungs burned as he ran as fast as he could. He cursed himself for making the halls so damn long. Why wasn't he there already? As he approached the iron door, he could hear the sounds of a fight. Fists were hitting something, and short gasps for air followed shortly after. In his haste, Sam fumbled for his key card, and as he swiped it through the lock, he heard everything fall silent. Sam flung the door open and found himself at a loss for words at the sight before him. He stared in shock, eyes wide as Dream stared back with the slightest, unsettling smirk. </p><p>Dream stood over Tommy's body. Scratch and bite marks littered Dream's cheeks and arms; Tommy's poor attempt at self-defense. Yet Tommy was nearly unrecognizable. He was bloodied and bruised. He was curled up on the floor in a fetal position, his best attempt at blocking himself from the various attacks Dream had made on him. But worst of all, Tommy wasn't moving. He wasn't breathing. </p><p>Sam wanted to throw up.</p><p>---</p><p>Sam could feel himself struggling to breathe as he stumbled into Ranboo's house. If only he had gotten there sooner, if only he had let Tommy out, to begin with, then maybe his little would still be alive. Maybe he wouldn't have had to suffer through such a torturous death. Sam sniffled as he dug through one of Ranboo's chests and pulled out his most recent memory book. He stared at it for a long moment before opening it to a fresh page. He may not be able to right the wrongs he made with Tommy, but if he could bring the boy's friends some closure and give them a reason for what happened, then he would accept all the blame in the world. And he would do it without question. </p><p>'Sam got Tommy killed. He locked him in the prison cell with Dream, and even after seven days, he refused to let him out. He broke the contract, and because of it, my friend is dead. Tommy deserved better, but at least he can be at peace now. We love you, Tommy.'</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. We Didn't Start the Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo, Tommy, Ranboo, and Techno CG!Philza</p><p>Phil swore he couldn’t leave his boys alone for more than five minutes without something going wrong.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy and Tubbo giggled and stumbled over each other as they scrambled to sit in front of Phil, Ranboo, and Techno trailing just behind them. Phil stared at the boys with a rather exhausted, and slightly disappointed look.</p><p>“Does anyone care to explain to me why Bad just called me?” Phil asked curiously, causing the hushed giggles to fall into silence as everybody refused to answer. Tommy and Tubbo were squirming in their seats, while Techno held Ranboo in his arms closely, the younger boy looking rather anxious as his older brother comforted him.</p><p>Phil sighed and shook his head. “Does it perhaps have anything to do with a flint and steel? Did TNT get involved when it shouldn’t have?” He questioned in a disappointed tone that had Ranboo whining uncomfortably. Yet everybody continued refusing to speak.</p><p>Phil’s expression softened as he slowly made his way over to the young boy in Techno’s arms, though Techno did attempt, and fail, to shield Ranboo away from their father. “Ranboo, sweetheart, did something happen that wasn’t supposed to that scared you?” He asked in a voice that simply seemed so comforting to the little, it coaxed out a small nod. “Can you tell me what happened?” He asked again.</p><p>Ranboo looked between his brothers and saw their pleading faces before looking to his father, only to be met with a patient and soft expression that he had not been expecting. Ranboo let out a soft whine and curled in on himself. “Was’ playin’ in da field an’ den we founds a flint n’ steel and made the field go boom. But it was scawy, n’ I didn’ like it.” He stuttered out.</p><p>Phil cooed softly and gently took the mentally youngest of the four boys from Techno and held him close in a comforting manner before giving the other three a scolding glance. “Boys, how could you do something like that? Especially while your brother is so small? That was very dangerous, and broke so many of our rules.”</p><p>Tommy pouted and crossed his arms defiantly. He did always have a habit of being unnecessarily sassy when he was around 5 years old. It was the telltale sign of his mental age. “But it was fun! An’ it looked so cool! An’ we were bored.” He said in a slightly whiney tone.</p><p>Phil chose to ignore the fight Tommy was trying to pick and turned his attention to Tubbo for his explanation. He knew the boy was slightly younger than Tommy and Techno, if he had to guess he’d say on the younger side of four, but Tubbo had never been one for destruction. So the boy covering for his brothers surprised him quite a bit.</p><p>Tubbo shied away from his caregiver’s gaze and fiddled with his shirt. “They was havin’ fun, and I wanted dem to be happy!” He said shyly, glancing up at his father in fear of being in trouble then and there. Phil gave a small sigh and looked to Techno.</p><p>“Techno, buddy, you’re seven. You’re the oldest, you have to make sure these guys don’t get hurt.” Phil explained softly, but just found himself frustrated with Techno’s response.</p><p>“But we didn’t get hurt. N’I took care of Boo after, too.” He said simply, looking at his father as though confused as to why this was an issue.</p><p>Phil sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with the hand not holding Ranboo. “Boys, can one of you tell me what TNT does?”</p><p>Tubbo gasped and gave a proud grin at his ability to answer. “It goes boom!”</p><p>Phil nodded and gave a small frown. “Exactly. And when things go boom, they can hurt a lot of people, can’t they?” The three boys glanced at each other before nodding sheepishly. “I’m very glad that none of you got hurt, but what if someone had?” Phil questioned. “I wasn’t there to help you, boys. It could have been very bad; do you understand that?” He asked softly but seriously.</p><p>Tommy gave a whine and small pout, giving a slight nod. “M’sorry, da. Won’t do it again.” He promised.</p><p>Phil glanced at Techno who was biting the inside of his cheek guiltily. “Sorry, dad.” He murmured almost sheepishly. “I shoulda’ stopped it. I won’t let it happen again.”</p><p>Phil gave a nod of acceptance before looking to Tubbo who was staring at Phil with teary eyes and a trembly lip. “M’sowwy! Won’ do it evewr again!” He whined out softly, causing Phil to sigh softly.</p><p>“It’s alright, little ones. You regressed while I was away, I should have expected some shenanigans. I just have to make sure my boys don’t get hurt.” He explained softly before holding out his free arm to the three boys.</p><p>Tubbo was the first to scramble into his father’s embrace, instantly nuzzling into the older man’s side. Tommy followed rather quickly after, stumbling after his brother until he was able to embrace Phil tightly as though he didn’t want to let go. Phil looked over to Techno who shyly shuffled over and nuzzled his head against Phil’s chest. He didn’t hug his father, but that didn’t bother Phil. He knew his oldest son wasn’t the best with physical affection, and he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable.</p><p>A small whine broke the comfortable silence and slurred out words were spoken into the small group. “Da’, m’sleepy. Wanna go home.” Ranboo mumbled out, causing Phil to chuckle softly.</p><p>“Yeah, I bet you do little guy.” He said with a nod. He waited patiently as the other three boys slowly broke away from the hug and looked up at their dad. Phil gave a warm smile and hummed. “Alright boys, let’s get home and get some sleep, and maybe some food, how does that sound?” He questioned, earning eager head nods from all of his sons.</p><p>Contently, the small family made their way back home. Phil carried Ranboo and walked hand in hand with Tubbo while Tommy forced Techno to give him a piggyback ride. Their family may not be perfect, and they may have a lot of work to do in order to grow together, but Phil knew that in the end, they would make it. One way or another.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Don't Yell at Him</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo CG!Tommy</p><p>Tubbo finds his way onto Techno's territory but doesn't know what to do when Techno begins yelling at him for trespassing. Luckily, his best friend Tommy comes out to save the day.</p><p>Warning: Yelling, small threats</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tubbo could remember the fight quite vividly. It was stupid, really. He and Tommy had been arguing over how the mending books he had collected should be used, and in an act of frustration, Tubbo had stormed out. It seemed like a good idea at the time, he was upset with Tommy and needed some air, and quite possibly some time to himself. However, as he looked around now, Tubbo began to realize he had no idea where he actually was. Snowchester was nowhere in sight, and he was stuck in the middle of a snowy forest.</p><p>Tubbo could feel the fear of his current situation settling in. He was lost, and it was cold, and he was beginning to get hungry. He wasn't sure which direction he had come from, or if anyone was near to help, and the thought of dying all alone in the cold scared the poor boy more than anything. A small whimper forced its way out of Tubbo, and the only thing the boy could think to do was to keep moving forward. Perhaps he was near the SMP? Maybe he would come out in the badlands, or near anything that would help him reorient himself.</p><p>Tubbo kept repeating that to himself because he knew the moment he gave up, he would simply become scared and useless. He couldn't let that happen, he needed to find his way back to Snowchester. He needed to find his way back to Ranboo and more importantly back to Tommy. Their argument seemed so pointless now. He wanted to apologize and curl up against his friend and cuddle until their entire fight was forgotten. He didn't even care about the mending books anymore. Tommy could have all of them for all he cared because all he wanted right now was to be back with his friend.</p><p>Tubbo found himself coming to a halt as he heard the crunching of footsteps sound from around him. Tubbo's gaze darted around in fear as he tugged at the hem of his shirt nervously. Hesitantly, Tubbo began walking again, only to stop when he heard the footsteps start again. Tubbo let out a small whine and spun in a circle, looking around desperately for any sign of another person.</p><p>"Who's there?" He called out shakily, shrinking back when he heard a deep voice call back.</p><p>"Who do you think? You are on my property, after all." Techno huffed back, stepping out of the shadows with his crossbow loaded and aimed at Tubbo.</p><p>Tubbo swallowed thickly and took a step away from Techno, rubbing his wrists nervously. "I'm sorry, Techno. I didn't know I was on your property. You see, Tommy and I got in a fight and I wandered off, and I got lost so now I'm here." The boy explained shakily, only to be shushed by the older.</p><p>"Does it look like I care why you're here, Tubbo? You're trespassing on my property. You're a traitor to me." Techno grunted out, not stopping his advancements on the boy.</p><p>Tubbo stumbled over his feet as he desperately backed away from the older and into a tree. Tears welled in his eyes as he rapidly blinked them away. The cold air nipped at his cheeks, only reminding him how silly he had been to wander out in the cold so unprepared. Techno towered over him, making him feel far smaller than he ever wanted to feel in such an intimidating man's presence. Techno had him pinned, and Tubbo knew he was either going to die or get hurt trying to get away.</p><p>"Techno, I promise I didn't mean to, I-" Tubbo was cut off by a rather annoyed sounding voice calling out to them from a small distance away.</p><p>"Techno! What are you doing, man? Get away from Tubbo!" Tommy's voice pierced through the tension, causing Techno's attention to quickly divert to the blonde-haired boy instead of Tubbo.</p><p>Much to both of their surprise, Tommy hadn't even come in armor. The boy was simply bundled in a thick jacket and winter boots. He wore earmuffs and carried a backpack on his shoulder. The only form of a weapon on him was the sword held in its sheath on his hip. Techno huffed and instead turned, aiming his crossbow at Tommy.</p><p>"Get off my property, Tommy. You aren't wanted around here anymore." Techno grumbled out, causing Tommy to roll his eyes.</p><p>"Thank you for the warm welcome, Techno." The boy said sarcastically, causing Techno to tense in annoyance. "But I'm not here for you. I'm here for Tubbo." Tommy said simply. "He's regressed, Techno, can't you tell?" Tommy asked in an almost scolding tone. "I mean, come on man. You don't have to like us, but at least stop threatening him with a crossbow while he's small."</p><p>Techno glanced back at Tubbo and frowned. He began to take notice of the fearful brown eyes, wide and filled with tears. The quick, panicked breaths the boy gave out, along with his flushed cheeks and constant fidgeting. Techno gave a small sigh a slowly put his crossbow away. A small pang of guilt washed over him for having not noticed the behavior sooner, but that didn't last too long.</p><p>"Fine. Take him and go. I don't want to see either of you back here again." He grumbled out before turning and making his way back towards his cabin.</p><p>Tubbo and Tommy watched Techno walk away in silence before shifting their gazes to each other. Tommy opened his mouth to say something but was stopped when Tubbo flung himself into his best friend's arm, letting out soft sobs and sniffles. Tommy quickly wrapped his arms around the younger boy and cradled him close, soothingly running his fingers through his hair.</p><p>"M'sowwy, Tom-Tom! Didn' mean to run away! Got sad after our fight n' get lost! Pwease don' be angwy." He pleased softly through his cries, causing Tommy to softly shush him.</p><p>"Oh Tubs, I'm not angry, I promise. I'm so super sorry for fighting with you and making you feel like you needed to leave Snowchester." He said softly, keeping his voice gentle and soothing to his regressed friend. "Here, I'm sure you must be cold. You've been out here a while, so I brought you a better jacket." Tommy said softly, reaching into his backpack and pulling out a thick, fluffy yellow jacket that Tubbo almost always wore while regressed and out.</p><p>Tubbo gasped happily and almost instantly allowed Tommy to help him put it on before snuggling into it. Tommy smiled softly before also pulling out a simple white pacifier with a simple bee design along it. He held it in front of Tubbo and gave a soft smile. "Do you want this, Tubs?" He asked softly, smiling and allowing the boy to take it in his mouth when he nodded.</p><p>Tommy had always been a rather prepared caregiver. He knew when preparing to come to look for Tubbo that the boy almost always regressed after fights; after all, he really hated confrontation. He always had. However, he hadn't expected to find the little pinned to a tree by Techno, and the sight alone made his blood boil. But no matter how angry, he gave Tubbo a warm smile and ruffled his hair.</p><p>"What do you say, kiddo, should we head back home and make some yummy hot chocolate and cuddle to warm up?" He asked softly, earning a small noise of excitement from the younger and a rapid nod.</p><p>"Yes, yes! Pwease cawwy me, Tom-Tom?" The boy asked as he looked up at his caregiver, eyes wide and full of joy.</p><p>Tommy let out a joyous laugh and quickly scooped his friend up. The trek home may have been rather slow now that Tommy was also carrying the weight of an adult, but he didn't particularly care, and it seemed Tubbo didn't either. After all, the hot chocolate and cuddles made it completely worth it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Styrofoam Coffee Cups</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Wilbur CG!Phil</p><p>Wilbur didn’t like coffee. Not while he felt so small. But the others shouldn’t have to take care of him, not at a Con. Wilbur didn’t like coffee, but he ordered it anyway, just to blend in.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Plot inspiration from Cypherr. You should go check out their work, they're amazing :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wilbur shoved his coffee cup away from him and laid his head down against his folded arms. His coffee was half gone but had long gone cold. The world around him had been moving so quickly. People rushing around in hurried bustles, loud chatter bounced off crowded halls, and slamming could be heard from various tables as the conversation got a little too intense. Wilbur could feel his head begin to throb as he attempted to block out the world around him. His glasses pressed uncomfortably against his nose as he attempted to hide himself away from the world.</p><p>He felt like he was moving in slow motion. The world around him sounded muffled and hushed. His head felt fuzzy, and for a moment he began to believe he was underwater. For a moment, he could briefly process Tommy saying his name, but he couldn’t find it in himself to respond. All he could focus on was the uncomfortable fabric of his jeans and scratchy sweater rubbing against his skin. He wasn’t entirely sure why he had insisted on wearing such uncomfortable clothing. Deep down he knew it was because he wanted to hide his regression from all his friends, but at that very moment, he couldn’t think about anything other than the comfortable pajamas he had stashed away in his hotel room.</p><p>Wilbur could distantly hear someone calling his name. He felt a hand gently squeeze his shoulder, and despite wanting to lean into the touch and drift asleep, Wilbur forced himself to return to reality. He slowly lifted his head and turned his gaze to the man that stood next to him. Phil looked at Wilbur with a soft, concerned gaze. Wilbur gave a few slow blinks and rubbed his eyes from under his glasses before completely focusing on the older man before him. Phil gently squeezed his shoulder again to assure he had his attention before speaking softly.</p><p>“You okay, Wil? You look awfully tired, and you didn’t finish your coffee.” Phil observed softly.</p><p>“I’m okay. Jus’ a lot going on.” Wilbur mumbled, rubbing at his eyes again.</p><p>Phil’s expression softened as he hummed softly. “You didn’t get much sleep last night, did you?” He asked softly, watching as Wilbur tugged uncomfortably at his sweater. Phil frowned a bit. He really wasn’t sure why Wilbur insisted on wearing such uncomfortable clothes during such long days. But he never said anything. Wilbur had always been about his fashion, after all.</p><p>“No. Not much sleep. Real tired.” He admitted, glancing up at Phil with a soft look.</p><p>Phil gently ruffled Wilbur’s hair, watching as the younger leaned into the gentle touch. Phil sighed quietly and turned over to Eret who stood nearby, talking to Niki. “Eret, would you mind taking my keys and pulling my car around? I think I need to take Wil back to the hotel for a bit.</p><p>Eret gave a nod and a kind smile before taking Phil’s keys from him. He and Niki slipped out of the convention lounge, and Phil slowly turned his attention back to Wilbur. Wilbur was staring off into the distance, clearly zoning out. Phil gently ran his fingers through Wilbur’s fluffy brown hair and hummed softly as Wilbur turned and nuzzled into Phil’s torso. The pair waited in comfortable silence. Phil was worried for Wilbur, undoubtedly. The boy seemed exhausted and was acting rather out of character for himself. Phil just knew he had to get the boy out of the convention and somewhere quiet.</p><p>Phil slowly turned his attention from Wilbur when there was a tap on his shoulder. With a smile, Eret handed Phil’s keys back and stepped away. “Your car is just outside. I hope Wilbur feels better.” He said warmly, nothing but sincerity seeping through his tone.</p><p>Phil smiled and gave his thanks before carefully helping Wilbur stand. The boy gave a soft whine and stumbled into the elder’s side, yet Phil simply stabilized him and helped the boy stand upright. Wilbur clung to his arm as they made their way towards the exit but paused when Tommy called out for them.</p><p>“Phil?” The boy said, causing Phil to look over. Tommy gave Phil a worried expression, the teen boy fiddling with his watch nervously. “Is Wil okay?” He asked in concern, Tubbo standing next to him silently, though wearing the same concerned expression.</p><p>Phil’s expression softened into a smile before he gave the boys a nod. “He’s alright, Tom. He’s just tired and a bit overwhelmed. I’m taking him back to the hotel so he can relax for the rest of the day. I promise I’ll text you if anything is wrong, okay?”</p><p>Tommy visibly relaxed and gave a nod. They said their goodbyes, and before they knew it, Phil was leading Wilbur outside. He carefully helped the boy into the passenger seat of his car and helped him buckle in when the younger seemed to be struggling with it. Phil didn’t really question the quiet and loopy behavior of the boy. He was simply focused on taking care of Wilbur and making him comfortable.</p><p>When they got back to the hotel, Phil helped Wilbur back up to his room. Well, more realistically, he pulled Wilbur up while the younger put all of his weight on him and stumbled along. Phil carefully closed the door behind them and watched as Wilbur shuffled over to a black duffle bag before plopping in front of it. He dug around in the bag for a moment before pulling out a stuffed orca plush and hugging it close to his chest, babbling quietly to himself. Phil watched with soft, adoring eyes before walking over, kneeling next to Wilbur.</p><p>“Hey Wil,” He spoke softly, causing the younger boy to slowly look over to him. “Do you have some comfier clothes? Your clothes look like they're bothering you.” He said softly, though it took Wilbur a moment to actually respond.</p><p>Shifting on his knees, Wilbur gave a nod and pointed into the duffle bag once more. Phil opened the bag and paused for a moment to examine the objects inside of it. He caught sight of a dark blue soother, a bottle, a sippy cup, and at the very bottom a pair of blue pajama pants with clouds on them, and a fluffy white jumper. Phil took just a moment to process the contents of the bag, before pulling the clothing out and turning to Wilbur.</p><p>“Are these the ones, Wil?” He asked softly, causing Wilbur to nod.</p><p>Phil went to hand the clothes over but stopped when Wilbur gave him a sheepish look. “Need help.” He mumbled, causing Phil to smile.</p><p>Phil gently stripped the younger boy before sliding the fluffy pajamas onto him. “Hey Wil, how old are you?” He asked the boy softly.</p><p>Wilbur’s eyes darted up to him before he slowly held up two fingers. Phil gave a small coo and smiled. “Well, no wonder that convention center was so much for you. That was a lot for such a little boy, wasn’t it?” He asked softly, digging through the bag once more and grabbing the soother.</p><p>Wilbur gave a small giggle and nodded, watching Phil with curious eyes. Phil smiled and gently held the soother up to the little’s mouth, which he happily took. Phil gently ran his fingers through Wilbur’s hair again before speaking softly.</p><p>“Alright, little one. It’s been a very long day for you. Why don’t we lay down and take a nap? Sound good?” He asked softly, earning another giggle and a nod.</p><p>“Tan we watch toonies to sweep?” Wilbur mumbled from around his soother, climbing onto his bed as he waited for Phil.</p><p>Phil slipped off his shoes before grabbing the remote for the TV and laying down next to Wilbur. “As long as you promise to sleep, then absolutely.” He murmured softly.</p><p>Wilbur curled up against Phil as SpongeBob played quietly in the background. It didn’t take more than ten minutes for the younger to fall into a peaceful slumber, leaving Phil to relax. Phil was sure to text Tommy and the others that Wilbur was alright, and the rest of their evening was spent relaxing in peace. Phil would always do anything for his boys, even if it meant taking care of them while regressed during a convention.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Stop Tabbing Out!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo CG!Ranboo</p><p>Tubbo does another FNaF stream for a sub-goal, but after nearly two hours of nothing but jump scares, Ranboo decides it's time to get Tubbo to end his stream.</p><p>Warning: Mild swearing (friendly)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tubbo let out an annoyed groan and swiveled in his chair as Ranboo let out a small laugh. "Come on, Tubbo! Let's play Five Nights at Freddy's!" Ranboo encouraged, earning another groan from Tubbo. </p><p>"But I don't want to play Five Nights at Freddy's, Ranboo," Tubbo whined, earning a laugh from Ranboo and Jack. </p><p>"Aw, come on Tubbo! This'll be fun!" Jack cheered as Tubbo pulled up the game. </p><p>Tubbo could feel his heart pound against his chest. His hands trembled as he loaded up the game and he let out a huffy breath. He hated horror games. He really and truly did. He hated that his fans loved when he played Five Nights at Freddy's so much because if it were up to him, he would uninstall the game from his computer permanently. </p><p>Tubbo started the first round and could feel instant dread wash over him. He could feel his throat become tight as he started the first night. He tried to relax as he let Ranboo and Jack guide him through the night, but he found that he simply couldn't. Tubbo had thought this stream wasn't going to be very fun, but now? He's certain.</p><p>--</p><p>Tubbo let out a small yelp and rapidly closed out the game and he jumped back in his chair. The boy let out a frustrated whine as Ranboo and Jack laughed in amusement at the younger's suffering. "Damnit! I closed the game again..." Tubbo mumbled in irritation, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. </p><p>Ranboo gave a small chuckle and grinned. "Why? Nothing happened! It won't kill you, that was just a small easter egg that flashes "it's me". You'll be fine." </p><p>Tubbo huffed and rubbed his face with the sleeves of his sweatshirt. "I didn't mean to, Ranboo." Tubbo retorted. </p><p>"Alright, well I am now requesting you take the keycap off of your escape key, or else we're never going to get through this," Ranboo said firmly, causing Jack to gasp.</p><p>"Oh shit, we did do that last time, didn't we? And it worked too! Yeah, we should totally do that again!" </p><p>Tubbo mumbled under his breath and slowly took the keycap off his escape key. He rubbed his face again before slowly loading the game back up again. Jack and Ranboo were talking happily amongst themselves, which he was truly thankful for. It allowed him to wallow in his anxiety without anybody truly taking notice of it. Tubbo found himself subconsciously flipping through cameras as Ranboo and Jack instructed him to. He hadn't noticed it, but he had begun chewing on the sleeve of his sweater. Luckily, no one else had taken notice either, his face was being hidden by his sleeve so no one could quite see what he was doing. </p><p>Tubbo had begun zoning out. His mind felt foggy and bogged down as his anxiety began slowly slipping away. That's why when Foxy suddenly lunged at his screen, Tubbo was genuinely frightened. The boy let out a small scream and hid his face in his hands. Ranboo and Jack let out small laughs as Jack spoke between his giggles. "What was that Tubbo? We warned you to close the door!" The man teased but fell quiet when he only got a small whine in response. </p><p>Ranboo let out a small awkward laugh and watched his friend worriedly. "Tubbo man, you good?" He questioned, waiting patiently for a response, and shifting nervously when he didn't get one. "Tubbo? You good?" He asked again, a bit more urgency in his voice this time. </p><p>The stream stayed silent for a solid two or three minutes before Ranboo hesitantly spoke again. "Tubbo, look at me, man. Are you okay?"</p><p>Tubbo slowly lifted his head and gazed over to his second monitor where he had Ranboo, and Jack set up. His eyes were wide and slightly teary. His face was softened and unamused. It was apparent to Ranboo that Tubbo's reactions weren't being played up for the stream at this point but were actually very real. </p><p>Ranboo's breath hitched as the older shifted in his seat. "Tubbo, we've been going for a while, you should stop if you want to," Ranboo said softly, though the mild commanding tone in his voice had Tubbo nodding along slowly. </p><p>Tubbo rubbed at his face before turning back to his stream, he closed out of his game and gave a quiet, lazy outro before shutting his stream down entirely. He flopped back in his chair and instinctively began nibbling on the sleeve of his sweater again. </p><p>"Tubbo, how old are you right now?" Ranboo asked softly as Jack just listened in mild confusion.</p><p>"Small." He whispered back; words muffled around the fabric of his sweater.</p><p>"Um, is Tubbo okay?" Jack questioned softly, glancing between the two younger boys. </p><p>Ranboo did a double-take in surprise, having momentarily forgotten Jack was in the call with them, and that he also didn't know of Tubbo's regression. "Oh, yeah, he's okay. Um, Tubbo does this thing when he gets stressed or overwhelmed called age regression. Basically, he goes back to a mentally younger age, so that's how he acts. It's a coping thing." </p><p>Jack nodded along slowly and hummed. "And you usually watch over him?" Jack guessed softly. </p><p>Ranboo gave a nod and hummed. "Mhm. Exactly." He confirmed.</p><p>Jack gave a warm, understanding smile before nodding. "Okay, I'm going to go ahead and hop off the call then, so you guys can do what you need to. Um, message me. Let me know if he's okay, yeah?" </p><p>Ranboo smiled back and gave a nod. "Of course. Thank you, Jack. We'll talk to you soon."</p><p>The call fell silent as Jack left and Ranboo turned his attention to Tubbo. "You okay, bub?" Ranboo asked softly, earning a soft whine in response. </p><p>"Game was too scawy, Boo," Tubbo said with a soft pout. </p><p>Ranboo cooed softly and nodded in understanding. "Oh, I'm sorry bub. I would have told you to stop sooner if I had known." He soothed softly.</p><p>"It's otay." He mumbled. "Chu' didn' know."</p><p>"Alright, why don't you stop chewing on that sweater and go get your soother, hm? Maybe you can even get Bumbledore too." Ranboo suggested warmly. </p><p>Tubbo hesitantly spat his sleeve out and scrambled across the room. When he returned, he had a pastel yellow soother in his mouth and a Minecraft bee plush tucked under his arm. </p><p>"I got him!" He said from around his soother, holding the bee plush out towards the camera.</p><p>Ranboo let out a small laugh and smiled. "Well, hello there, Professor Bumbledore. Glad to have you join us here!" Ranboo greeted softly, earning a small, happy giggle from Tubbo. </p><p>"He shays hewwo!" He said as he pulled the plush back to his chest in a hug.</p><p>Ranboo smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Is there water in your water bottle, bub? You should drink some." He encouraged softly. </p><p>Tubbo slowly nodded and grabbed his water bottle, taking small sips from the straw as Ranboo continued speaking to him. Ranboo wasn't really making sense but Tubbo didn't mind. He was happy not to sit in silence. </p><p>"How late is it for you, bub? I know you must be getting pretty tired by now." Ranboo murmured softly as Tubbo gave a yawn. </p><p>"Weal late." He mumbled.</p><p>"Alright, bub. Why don't you climb into bed then? I'll tell you a bedtime story." Ranboo offered softly.</p><p>"A happy one?" He asked softly as he clambered into bed. </p><p>Ranboo gave a grin and nodded. "A very happy one." He assured softly.</p><p>The boy laid in bed as Ranboo began telling a silly story of a goat and a frog. Tubbo comfortably drifted to sleep to the sound of Ranboo's voice as Ranboo watched over his little contently. Sure, scary games weren't all that fun for littles, but they always led to wonderful comfort sessions.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. You are not Alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Purpled CG!Awesamdude </p><p>Purpled had always felt rather left out. He never exactly "fit in" with the rest of the SMP. He never had any friends like the others, and when Sapnap sensed something off with the boy after a brief visit, he sent Sam to go check on him. </p><p>Warnings: Depression, sense of exclusion, mild angst</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Purpled watched as Sapnap flashed him a brief smile before jogging off, leaving the boy alone once again. An overwhelming feeling of loneliness began swarming him once more, but it was alright. He was used to this by now. After all, he couldn't express the last time he genuinely felt as though he had a friend around here. Everyone had always been split into their little groups. Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo were always off together, George was almost always visiting the prison since Dream got locked away, it was nearly impossible to find Quackity, Sapnap, or Karl without one or both of the others with them, so why couldn't Purpled have that too? Was he truly that unlikable? He had always tried so hard to be good and nice to everyone, but he supposed that didn't exactly work. </p><p>Purpled gave a small sniffle and wiped the tears from his eyes. He didn't want to do this now, not when just anyone could walk into his house and see him. He knew that was unlikely; no one ever visited anyways, but just to be safe, he dug through his ender chest and pulled out a soft elephant plushie. He lived alone, and no one ever really stopped by, yet he always felt the need to hide his little gear regardless. A part of him knew that if someone found out it would just be another reason to stay away from him. He didn't need people seeing him as weirder than he already was. </p><p>Purpled peeked out the window in the back of his house to make sure no one was coming before quickly slipping out. He shuffled along a small dirt path near the woods around his house. No one had ever really questioned the path, assuming it was a hiking trail of sorts so he could easily go collect wood or supplies when he needed, but truthfully, it led to his favorite place to be when he felt little. </p><p>Purpled pushed his way through some brush and felt himself relax. Before him, was splotches of purple, pink, blue, and white flowers spread along a field that was encased by the thick forest around him. The sun was just beginning to set, causing a golden tint to cast over the field, only adding to its beauty. Purpled was thankful no one else had found the field. He always knew he could come here without anyone else being there and regress in peace, which was exactly what he needed at that moment. </p><p>Purpled stumbled to the center of the field and plopped himself down. He hugged his stuffie close to him and sat in silence for just a few seconds before he could feel his eyes begin to sting with new tears. He just didn't understand why he couldn't have any friends. He was a good boy! He was never mean to anyone, and he always tried to follow the rules (even if they were his own rules), and he always apologized when he did something mean or bad. Were people angry at him? Had he done something and not realized he had done it? All he wanted was people to play with and talk to. It wasn't fair that everyone else had that and he didn't!</p><p>Purpled buried his face in his stuffie and sniffled. Maybe he should just run away. Would anybody actually notice if he left? He doubted it. Nobody came looking for him when he disappeared to his field for an entire day, so they probably wouldn't notice if he just disappeared for good one day. He was probably just a burden to everyone. Maybe they didn't like him because he was too clingy. Purpled always had stressed that he came across too needy when he did hang out with people. Maybe he scared them off that way. </p><p>Purpled jerked into an upright position when he heard footsteps from the woods around him. He felt dizzy from the sudden jump in age but chose to ignore it and focus on who could have possibly discovered his hidey-hole instead. Purpled used the palms of his hands to rub at his eyes, hoping he did a good enough job at rubbing the tears away. He didn't need anyone to know he was crying, after all. </p><p>Purpled's gaze slowly scanned around until he saw a tall man in a dark green and gold sweater step out from the same direction Purpled himself had come in. "S-Sam?" Purpled stuttered out in confusion, curling in on himself a bit.</p><p>Sam gave a soft, reassuring smile to the stunned boy before making his way over. "Hey, Purpled. Are you okay?" He asked softly, though his tone was comforting and Purpled wasn't sure if it was an act or genuine. </p><p>Purpled swallowed and did his best to hide his stuffie in his lap, which he did a pretty terrible job at since he wasn't fully aged up but Sam didn't say anything if he had seen in. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?" He questioned quietly, though he was refusing to make eye contact with Sam which concerned the older. </p><p>Sam frowned a bit and slowly sat next to Purpled who seemed to shy away a bit, unlike what he had done during any other encounter he had had with the younger. "Sapnap said he came to see you today," Sam explained in a soft tone. "But he said you were acting a little weird. Quiet and constantly zoning out. He said you didn't seem as happy and energetic as you usually do. So he asked me to come to check on you and make sure you were okay."</p><p>Purpled stared at Sam with slightly parted lips, his mind racing. Sam couldn't possibly know, could he? Surely not, he wouldn't be acting so kind towards him if he did know. "I'm fine. Just tired." Purpled whispered out, though his voice cracked ever so slightly, allowing Sam to know that that wasn't truly the case. </p><p>"Purpled," Sam said firmly, his voice sounding gently yet commanding, and the younger boy was struggling to fight off his headspace with every word that slipped out of Sam's mouth. "I know that's not true. I want to help, I really do, but I don't appreciate being lied to. So I need you to tell me what's really going on."</p><p>Purpled could feel new tears prick his eyes again as he quickly attempted to wipe them away again. His eyes were burning from how often he was rubbing them, but he didn't like how vulnerable Sam was making him feel. He hated being in between head spaced. He couldn't control himself the way he knew he needed to. "Why do you care? No one else does." He said in a voice just above a whisper.</p><p>Sam's entire demeanor softened as he stared at the boy with a deep sense of concern. "Oh Purpled, is that what you really think?" He asked softly. </p><p>Sam's heart broke when Purpled looked up at him with big teary eyes, the younger no longer trying to wipe them away. "I know so. Everyone else has their little groups, n' I don't have anyone. People don' really talk to me, n' I live all alone, n' people don't even notice when  m'gone." He rambled out, sniffling a bit and looking away in shame, as though he thought Sam would be angry with him for finally saying the words out loud. </p><p>Instead, however, Sam shifted closer to Purpled and pulled the boy into his side. Purple stared at Sam in shock for a moment before grabbing onto his stuffie, which he was no longer trying to hide, and clambering into Sam's lap, sobbing softly into the older man's shoulder. Sam gently wrapped an arm around the boy's lower back to hold him in place and slowly rubbed soothing circles onto his back. </p><p>"I'm so sorry that we made you feel that way, Kiddo," He said softly. "But I promise you, we all notice when you're gone. We just thought you liked having your alone time since you never tell anyone where you're going. And we may all have our little groups, but that doesn't mean we won't happily take you into one." He soothed softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the little's forehead. "We never want you to feel all alone. We all love you so much. That's why Sapnap likes to come to check in on you when you haven't come out to see us in a while. And that's why he sent me to make sure you were okay. He knew something was wrong and wanted to make sure you were alright. Because he cares about you."</p><p>Purpled's sobs had slowly reduced to hiccups and sniffles, and when the boy finally felt brave enough, he looked up to Sam with wet, bloodshot eyes. "Chu' mean that?" He asked softly. </p><p>Sam gave a small nod and a soft smile. "Of course. And let's make a deal right now, okay? Just so I can prove how serious I am. Every time you want to go somewhere out of the SMP, even if it's just here, you come to tell me first, okay? This way I know where to find you in case something happens or someone else needs to find you."</p><p>Purpled stared at him with wide eyes and nodded quickly. Sam smiled and nodded before adding on. "And if you want, you can tell me when you feel small. I can watch over you if you don't want to be alone. But that's up to you." </p><p>Purpled gasped quietly and squirmed around in Sam's lap in excitement. "Weally? Chu' watch me?"</p><p>Sam gave out a small chuckle and nodded, brushing the dirty blonde hair from the younger's face. "Absolutely." He assured.</p><p>Purpled hugged Sam tightly, nuzzling his face into the crook of the older's next. He may still have felt lonely, and like he didn't have a ton of friends, but he had Sam, and that was more than enough for the little.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Life is what you Bake of it</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Niki CG!Wilbur</p><p>Wilbur was visiting Niki in Germany, and what better way to spend the day with his little than baking?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was inevitable that Niki would regress while Wilbur was with her in person. After all, he was her caregiver! And how could she help but to get maybe a bit too excited at the idea of getting to be with him in person instead of over discord?  However, she wasn't expecting it to happen so quickly. Wilbur had gotten to her house just the night before. They had spent the night eating pizza and watching movies before Niki had decided they should go to bed, as it was getting rather late. When Niki woke up the following morning, she felt fuzzy. She opted not to think too much about it, knowing she could likely push it off for another few hours, but when she climbed out of bed and had to stumble around for her footing, she quickly realized she was a little too far gone to continue pushing it off. </p><p>Rubbing at her eyes tiredly, Niki quietly dressed in an oversized white jumper with a pair of pastel pink overalls to go with it. Once satisfied enough with her outfit, she shuffled out of her room and was immediately met with the comforting scent of pancakes coming from the kitchen. For a moment, she wondered how long she had kept Wilbur waiting while she slept, but that thought was quickly shoved away when she was greeted with a bright smile and a warm welcome. </p><p>"Good morning, Niki! How did you sleep?" The older asked curiously as he cooked breakfast. </p><p>Niki gave a small yawn as she sat at the counter before returning his grin with a tired smile. "Mornin' Wilby. I slept good." She mumbled. </p><p>Wilbur's expression softened when he heard her response. The older took a moment to take in the younger's appearance before giving a soft hum in response. "Oh yeah? That's good! I'm making pancakes for breakfast, does that sound okay?" He questioned softly, earning a small nod in response. </p><p>The two sat in comfortable silence until Wilbur slid a plate of already cut pancakes in front of the younger girl. Niki looked up at Wilbur with wide, slightly confused eyes. She hadn't thought she was being that obvious. Had she done something to give it away?</p><p>Wilbur just gave a warm smile in return to the confused expression. "Don't worry about it, pumpkin, Just focus on your breakfast, okay?" He said warmly, causing Niki to quickly nod. </p><p>"M'kay. Thank you, Wilby." She said softly before beginning to quietly eat. </p><p>The two ate in peace, Wilbur occasionally making sure to wipe the syrup from Niki's hands and face, and when they finished and Wilbur had cleaned up, Wilbur sat carefully behind Niki with a hair and some hair ties. </p><p>"So, I was thinking that we could have a relaxed day today," Wilbur stated as he began his work on giving the little two french braids. "I figure we should stay home, maybe watch some cartoons and color or play. What do you think?"</p><p>"Can we bake cookies, Wilby?" Niki asked softly, earning a soft gasp from Wilbur.</p><p>"Oh my goodness, of course, we can pumpkin! I can't believe I didn't think of that myself!" He exclaimed as he finished tying off her braids.</p><p>Niki giggled and shifted her body, turning to face her caregiver. "You're bein' silly, Wilby." She said softly, but she wore a grin nonetheless. </p><p>Wilbur chuckled a bit and playfully booped Niki's nose, causing the little to gasp in surprise as her eyes crossed in an attempt to follow his finger. Wilbur let out a small laugh and stood from his chair, grabbing one of Niki's many recipe books. "What do you say pumpkin, should we make sugar cookies or chocolate chip cookies today?"</p><p>Niki's eyes widened as she gave Wilbur a soft, pleading look. "Can we have da sugar cookies? Please Wilby?" She begged softly, earning a soft coo from the elder. </p><p>"Oh, of course, we can." He agreed softly, flipping to the proper recipe within the book. </p><p>Niki was quick to help get the ingredients out, or rather the ones she could, and Wilbur happily helped her measure everything out and did all the stirring. Niki would let out soft giggles when Wilbur acted completely clueless as to what to do and would allow Niki to take the lead. She knew her caregiver was just pretending, but it still made her happy knowing how much effort he put into making her so happy. </p><p>Finally, they had the cookies in the oven, and Wilbur could tell Niki was beginning to slip smaller. She had been a bit older for the majority of the morning and into the early afternoon, probably around five or six if he had to guess, but her words were beginning to slur some more, and she was definitely becoming a bit more clumsy as she maneuvered around the kitchen. </p><p>Wilbur watched as Niki stared into the small glass window of the oven, impatiently watching the cookies bake. With a small smirk, the older man snuck up behind her and began to lightly tickle her sides. Niki jerked away from the oven and into Wilbur's chest, letting out a small squeal in surprise. Wilbur let out a small laugh and wrapped his arms around the small girl who clung to his arms in slight fear. </p><p>"Wilby, scawed me!" She whined out</p><p>"Aw, pumpkin, I'm sorry," He cooed out softly. "I was just trying to play."</p><p>Niki let out a small huff and turned around to face Wilbur, nuzzling her face into his chest. "I's otay. Didn' mean to." She mumbled, though her words were muffled by the fabric of Wilbur's jumper.</p><p>Wilbur smiled and gently rubbed circles along the girl's back soothing her into relaxing against him. "Are you tired, pumpkin? Do you want to take a nap?"]</p><p>Niki quickly shook her head, but it was quickly followed by a soft yawn. Wilbur smiled softly and gently cradled her close. "Okay, let's make a deal, pumpkin. If you take a nap for me, I'll let you have two cookies when you wake up instead of just one."</p><p>Niki slowly looked up at him. Her eyes were half-lidded and heavy, but there was a dulled look of excitement in them. "Weally? Two cookies?" She mumbled, earning a small nod of confirmation from Wilbur. "Mm, otay." She agreed softly. </p><p>Wilbur smiled and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Go lay down on the catch for me, pumpkin. I'll be there in just a minute."</p><p>Niki quickly shuffled off, and Wilbur quickly heated up a bottle of angel milk for the little. While the milk was warming, Wilbur slipped the cookies out of the oven so they could cool and not burn. He screwed the lid onto the bottle before making his way back to the living room. </p><p>Niki was already curled against the side of the couch but perked when she saw Wilbur and the bottle. Wilbur sat next to Niki, and the girl quickly curled into the older's lap. Wilbur made sure she stayed awake just long enough to finished her bottle before pressing a gentle peck to her forehead as the little fell asleep. </p><p>Wilbur sat still, holding Niki close as the girl napped. He turned the TV on quietly in the background and relaxed on the couch. He hated that he didn't get to see Niki in person more often, but while he was there, he wasn't going to waste a second of it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Naturally Terrifying</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Ranboo CG!Techno</p><p>Techno had a bad habit of accidentally scaring Ranboo. This time, he just so happened to catch the boy off guard in the unfortunate time of being between headspaces.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ranboo had woken up that morning and felt off. It wasn't a bad kind of off, just something that let him know he wasn't feeling entirely himself. His mind felt a bit distant and disconnected from the rest of him, and he found that he was lacking more coordination than normal. He didn't mind; being between headspaces was a rather normal thing for him at this point. He never did regress quickly. It was more of a slide for him. He had learned how to hold it off or let himself slip, but more often than not, he knew when it was happening before it actually happened. </p><p>This just happened to be one of those days.</p><p>Techno was out of the house, something about needing to go gather supplies for a potion he was wanting to make. Ranboo didn't mind, but he certainly would prefer for the older to be around while he was regressed. Not to take care of him necessarily, but more so in case, something happened. So he pushed it off, at least until Techno returned home. He figured it shouldn't be all that difficult, he didn't really feel small, just a bit fuzzy, so it shouldn't be too difficult to stay big.</p><p>So, he began making himself lunch. Techno had let him sleep in, something he was secretly grateful for. It was rather difficult to sleep through the night as an endermen, though this was something he never really spoke about. However, Techno was a bit of an insomniac himself and had most certainly noticed Ranboo's late-night endeavors into the kitchen, or heard how little sleep the boy actually got. The small gesture of not waking the boy spoke more than Techno was fully aware it did. </p><p>Ranboo stood over the stove as noodles boiled on the stove. He was making mac and cheese. Not because he was a little! But simply because it was good comfort food, and he would fight anyone that questioned his reasoning on that. Ranboo may have drifted into thought because he didn't particularly hear the front door of the cabin open, nor did he hear the steadily approaching footsteps. A hand was placed onto Ranboo's shoulder causing the boy to gasp and whip around to face the person behind him. </p><p>A familiar chuckle rang through his ears and slowly, Ranboo relaxed, letting out an annoyed whine. "You scared me!" He complained softly. </p><p>Techno gave a small, lazy whine grin and a casual shrug. "Well, I am pretty naturally terrifying." Techno retorted, a soft smile gracing over his lips. </p><p>Ranboo pouted a bit, he could feel himself slowly sliding, the soft tone Techno was using caused him to feel warm, but he tried not to slip entirely. Techno deserved a few moments of peace. "Mhm, guess so," Ranboo mumbled with a smile. </p><p>Techno hummed and stood to Ranboo's side, scanning over the stove. "What have you been doing while I was out?" He questioned curiously. </p><p>Ranboo peeked up and Techno before fiddling with the sleeves of his black sweater, something he really only wore when he felt small, or when he thought there was a possibility he would slip. "Um, just woke up a bit ago. Makin' some lunch." Ranboo explained, earning a hum from Techno.</p><p>"I'm glad you got some sleep, but you shouldn't be cooking on the stove. Not without someone watching you." Techno responded softly, ruffling Ranboo's hair lightly. </p><p>Ranboo's eyes fluttered as he slowly turned his gaze to look at Techno. The man had a way of making him feel small without really needing to try, and Ranboo was thankful for that at that moment. He could feel himself sliding. Slowly, but it was happening, and this time, he didn't try to stop it.</p><p>"M'sorry. Jus' wan'ed some lunch." He expressed softly, though he knew Techno wasn't actually upset with him. </p><p>"Aw, it's alright, bub. Why don't you go ahead and go to the living room while I finish cooking for you, hm? You shouldn't have to worry about something like this right now anyways." Techno offered.</p><p>Ranboo stared at Techno for a long moment before quickly nodding and scurrying off. He kneeled before a chest next to the fireplace and dug out a coloring book, some crayons, and a small stuffed pig plushie that Tubbo had gotten for him a good while back. Ranboo laid on his stomach and opened his coloring book. He grasped the nearest crayon and got to work on coloring in his picture, doing his best to stay in the lines. </p><p>When Techno made his way out of the kitchen with a bowl of mac and cheese and a sippy cup of milk, he found himself smiling at the sight of the boy coloring with one hand and clutching his stuffie with the other. He lightly cleared his throat to catch the little's attention before sitting next to him, carefully setting the food in front of him. </p><p>"Here you go bub. Why don't you take a break from coloring and eat some lunch, yeah?" Techno suggested.</p><p>Ranboo gave a nod and pushing himself up into a sitting position, giving Techno a small grin. "Look, Techie! Michaewl wanna join too!" He said happily, holding the pig plush up so Techno could see. </p><p>Techno gave a smile and lightly nodded. "It's always a pleasure to have Michael join us," Techno said in agreement before gently nudging the boy's food towards him. </p><p>The boys sat in silence as Ranboo contently ate his food. Michael sat firmly in Ranboo's lap as he ate, and Techno had to help make sure Ranboo didn't accidentally spill something on his favorite stuffy. (He remembered what happened last time that occurred, and he was in no mood for another day-long break down while Michael had a solo adventure in the washing machine).</p><p>Their evening was peaceful, and Techno made an attempt not to scare Ranboo while the boy was actively regressed, even though both of them agreed that he was indeed, naturally terrifying.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Why are you Ignoring me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Sapnap CG!Dream</p><p>Dream and George unknowingly ignore Sapnap in the midst of their playful flirting. Sapnap walks to Dream's room in distress and when Dream realizes the boy slipped, he does everything he can to calm the little.</p><p>Warnings: Sensitive/Jealous little</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sapnap sat silently on stream, a disgruntled frown tugging at his lips. He loved streaming with George and Dream, but it was understandable that sometimes he just felt out of place. Like an awkward third-wheel that didn't really have a reason to be in the discord call. He knew his friends only did their little flirty bit for the fans, but sometimes he wished they would just stop! Sometimes he wanted attention too, and it wasn't fair that he never got any!</p><p>His chat had begun to take notice of the sudden silence coming from the boy and began to question him. Sapnap sat up from his slouched position and muted his mic, preventing his friends from hearing his small complaints. "Sorry for the silence, guys. Dream n' George are just doing their normal flirting, and I don't have much to contribute to it." He said with a small laugh, though it felt forced. </p><p>His thoughts were beginning to feel fuzzy, his head felt heavy. He knew what was happening; it explained why the lack of his friends' attention bothered him so much, but it didn't make the situation any easier for him to navigate. </p><p>'Just go into Dream's room and demand attention. He's only right across the hall' </p><p>A dono read out. Sapnap's eyes glanced up to the donation, a small, devious smile danced across the boy's face. "Okay guys, Imma end my stream early and go bother Dream. M'not gonna raid him cause' it will ruin the surprise, but watch his stream if you wanna see me bother him! Bye guys!" He signed off before shutting the stream down. He left his game up as to avoid suspicion before standing and silently shuffling across the hall. </p><p>From outside of Dream's door, Sapnap could still hear the two older boys bantering back and forward. For some reason, it bothered him that they hadn't seemed to take notice of his absence, and that was ultimately what caused him to throw the door open. </p><p>Dream jumped in surprise at the sudden invasion and quickly looked back at the younger boy who had his arms crossed in an annoyed pout. "Sapnap? What are you doing in here?"</p><p>Sapnap huffed a bit and rolled his eyes. "I got bored! You n' George keep flirting and leaving me out! I want attention too, Dream!" He whined out. </p><p>Dream paused a moment before muting himself on stream. He slipped his headphones off and turned his chair around completely to face the younger boy. "Sap, are you feeling small right now?" He questioned softly. </p><p>Sapnap huffed and shook his head. "No." He said, and technically, he wasn't lying. "Not small. Jus' slipping." He admitted. </p><p>Dream hummed softly and patted his lap as an invitation for the younger to join him, which he did. Almost instantly, Sapnap clambered into the older's lap, wrapping his arms around his neck as he crammed his face into the crook of his neck. Dream wrapped an arm around Sapnap's waist to keep him steady before unmuting himself on stream. </p><p>"Sorry guys, and sorry George, I think I'm going to have to log off early. Sapnap is being extra needy tonight." The older man said playfully. Sapnap looked up with a shocked expression, to which Dream just responded with a teasing wink, causing him to huff in annoyance. "Thank you guys for watching, hopefully, I'll see you next time!" He said before ending his stream.</p><p>Dream gently ruffled Sapnap's hair, earning a small whine from the younger. "Why was you ignorin' me?" He questioned, looking up to Dream with slightly upset eyes. </p><p>Dream cooed softly and held his friend close, gently rubbing circles on his back. "I didn't know you felt like we were ignoring you, bub. But I'm very proud of you for telling me." He said softly, earning a hum from the little as he nuzzled into his friend. </p><p>"Jus' wanted attention." He mumbled with a slightly bitter tone, yet Dream could only chuckle. </p><p>"You always want attention, my little panda," He teased softly. "Now, how about we get you into some comfier clothes and then watch some cartoons. That sound good?"</p><p>Sapnap nodded in agreement but made no effort to move from his position in Dream's lap. Dream hummed softly and gently patted his back. "C'mon, panda. You've gotta get up now." He coaxed softly, just to earn a noise of disagreement in return. </p><p>"Nu-uh. No' movin'. Chu' carry me." Sapnap said firmly. </p><p>The older rolled his eyes playfully before gripping onto the little tightly and standing, being sure not to accidentally drop the boy. He could feel Sapnap's grip tighten around his neck, but he didn't particularly mind. Carefully, Dream made his way back to Sapnap's room where he gently set the boy on his bed. </p><p>"What are you in the mood to wear, bub? A onesie or big boy pajamas?" Dream questioned, waiting patiently for Sapnap to contemplate. </p><p>"Big boy!" He finally decided, swinging his feet as they hung off the side of the bed. </p><p>"You got it, bub!" Dream said with a grin. </p><p>After a small struggle of Sapnap getting his arm stuck in his shirt, the boy had managed to get dressed in a pair of fleece sweatpants and a t-shirt with a dinosaur on it. Dream smiled and pulled Netflix up on the boy's TV before handing him the remote. "Okay panda, go ahead and choose what we're watching." He said as Sapnap snatched the remote from him. </p><p>Dream chuckled a bit and stepped away from the bed. While Sapnap was making the difficult decision between Scooby-Doo and Inspector Gadget, Dream quietly logged out of the game Sapnap had left running and shut his PC down, since he knew the boy would be upset in the morning if it had been left running all night. Once he had finally settled down next to Sapnap, he saw the intro of What's New Scooby-Doo playing on the TV screen. </p><p>The little was quick to curl into his friend's side, and Dream was just as quick to hold the little against him. Dream had always known the boy needy and a bit attention-seeking when he was small, but he would have to remember just how amusing the little was when he got jealous.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. To be a Father</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Philza</p><p>Phil had never felt as small as he did after he had been forced to kill his own son. Is this what Tommy had felt all those times he had taken care of the regressed boy? Why was it happening to him now? He simply didn't want it. </p><p>Warnings: Angst, depression, anxiety, first-time regression, swearing, self-hatred</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Curled up in his little house in a mountain, Phil sat on the floor in the corner of his living room. His head was spinning, thoughts of regret and guilt consumed his every waking moment. His son was dead. Wilbur was gone, and it was no thanks to him. He had killed him. Why had he agreed to kill him? He loved his boy. Even if Wilbur had turned into something most people feared he should have helped him through it, not taken the problem away as a whole. What kind of father was he? Was Wilbur upset with him? Was he angry that he complied with his wishes without much of a fight? Would he watch over Phil now with a sense of disgruntlement and wish he had a different father?</p><p>Phil could feel the tears roll down his cheeks. Then again, he wasn't entirely certain when they had stopped. People had cheered him on, celebrated the death of his eldest son, and Phil could only look at them in disgust. He knew Wilbur had messed up, of course. But how foul of a human do you have to be to celebrate the death of another? He remembered vividly the pained looked that spread across Tommy's face when he saw his brother dead, and the look of furry that occurred when he saw their own father wielding the sword. He could recall Tommy storming over to Tubbo and telling him what happened, and how Techno had to be the one to stay strong while the younger boys grieved. But he would never forget the pained look the piglin hybrid cast his way as he made his way back home.</p><p>He wanted it to stop. The pain and torture. The conflicting responses to Wilbur's death; it was all too much. He wanted his son back. He wanted it to go back to the days of Tommy and Wilbur running home to him in excitement to tell them their next big plan for L'Manberg, or even the days of Wilbur and Techno bringing Tommy over for Phil to watch while they planned out their next step in the Manberg war. He missed having his family. He missed having his life because everything felt so broken into fragments that he didn't know how to put back together. His remaining kids loathed him. No matter how badly he wanted to help repair their fractured home he couldn't, because his boys couldn't look at their father without seeing anything other than a killer.</p><p>Phil was beginning to feel dizzy. His vision was getting fuzzy and his anxiety swelled as he swore he was about to pass out. He hadn't slept in a few days and hadn't eaten in even longer. He hadn't been taking care of himself, he knew. But was he supposed to? How could he? Perhaps it was best he just joined Wilbur, but he didn't deserve the quick death he gave to Wilbur. He deserved the suffering he put the rest of his family through.</p><p>Phil closed his eyes, though the fuzziness didn't go away. He could feel it creeping in on him until finally, things went still. For a moment, Phil thought he had died. His emotions eased for a moment, and the painful thoughts he had been having for the past two weeks seemed to be at bay. But when he opened his eyes and realized he hadn't passed, he simply felt confused and scared. Panicked crept up on him and hit him like a truck. Everything seemed so big and he just felt so small.</p><p>His emotions felt like too much. Everything felt like too much and all Phil could think to do was curl up and hide in his wings. He didn't understand what was happening. He didn't know why it was happening, all he could truly understand is that he didn't want it to be happening.</p><p>Choked breaths escaped the man as he choked back tears. Usually, he could stop crying; why couldn't he stop crying? It was all too much. Everything around him was too much to handle. The clothes on his back were heavy and irritating, the cold air of his house was overwhelming and Phil hated it. He wanted out. His body longed for something soft and warm, though he couldn't bring himself to stand and get something for comfort, so he simply pulled his wings around himself tighter and choked out a whimper.</p><p>He'd seen Tommy act like this before. Tommy used to regress. Was he regressing? Why was he regressing? He wasn't a child, he was a father. Things like this weren't supposed to happen to an adult. He was weak. He acting like a child and it made him feel sick. He should just face the consequences, why couldn't he just face the goddamn consequences?</p><p>Phil wanted to scream. His mind raced with the possibility of what would happen if Wilbur was still alive. His Wil...Wilby. He wanted Wilbur. He wanted his son to hug him; to hold him close and tell him he was okay. That what he did was right and what he truly wanted. He wanted Wilbur to tell him he loved him despite the horrible thing he did to him without a second thought.</p><p>He wished. He wished he could tell Wilbur he was sorry. He wished he could bring Wilbur back and cry out an apology to his eldest son. He wished he could turn back time and not kill him, to begin with. He wished he could tuck his sons into bed and go to sleep knowing they were okay and that when they woke up, they would continue to be a happy family.</p><p>Phil rubbed his eyes. He wanted his Wilby, and he had no idea how to get him back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Is the Sound of Me Winning too Loud?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!George CG!Dream, Sapnap, and Bad</p><p>The Dream Team was visiting with each other for the first time, but the constant teasing between the boys didn't seem to be too appreciated by George.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>George let out a huff and flopped back against the couch as Dream won yet again. He loved playing games with his friend, he really did; but after losing eight matches of Smash Bros in a row, it's understandable to begin to feel frustrated or demotivated. Dream let out a small laugh and clapped in victory, flashing George a cheeky grin. </p><p>"You're so bad, George! How did I win again?" The younger teased, though George wasn't really in the mood for the teasing. </p><p>"I don't know Dream. Almost like you've been playing the game for longer." He snipped back, already beginning to feel the irritation inside of him rise. </p><p>Dream raised an eyebrow at the sudden aggression and hummed. "What's wrong George? Why the long face? Is the sound of me winning too loud for you to handle?" He teased once again.</p><p>George felt like crying. He knew his friend didn't actually have any ill intentions towards him, but he felt so overwhelmed by the frustration and constant mocking that he wasn't sure what else to do. "Whatever, Dream. I'm done playing." He muttered out.</p><p>George set the controller down and stood from his place on the couch. He quickly took off in the opposite direction of his friend, despite hearing the small protests and apologies Dream was rapidly handing out. George wrapped his arms around himself tightly as he walked, tears blurring his vision. His mind felt fuzzy and all he wanted to do was get away.</p><p>Rushing down the hall, George realized he wasn't entirely aware of his surroundings until he ran into someone face first. George rubbed his face for a few seconds before he realized the person was calling his name. Looking up, he came to realize that person was Bad, and he was wearing a rather concerned expression. </p><p>"George, you okay? You look upset and like you're in a hurry." </p><p>That was all it took for the floodgates to open. George felt tears run down his cheeks as he sobbed quietly, pushing himself into Bad's chest. Though confused, the older quickly wrapped his friend into a hug and held him close in his best attempt to comfort him. "George, I can't help you unless you tell me what's wrong." Bad coaxed softly. </p><p>"D'eam winnin' too much. Fwust'atin'." He whined out.</p><p>Oh. Oh. Bad blinked in surprise before gently rubbing the back of his regressed friend. He didn't deal with George too often while he was regressed. He typically preferred Dream or Sapnap, but the few times he had cared for him, he was typically upset with one or both of his other caregivers. So luckily, Bad wasn't at a complete loss with what to do. </p><p>"Aw, kiddo, it's okay." Bad soothed softly, gently petting a hand through his hair. "Come on, let's calm down and then go talk to Dream, okay? I'm sure he's probably super worried about you. I know he didn't mean to hurt your feelings."</p><p>George let out a small sniffle and gave a slight nod, though refused to pull away. Bad had learned the hard way that he should never be the one to pull away from George while he was regressed, because unlike George normally, little George was rather clingy and needy, always wanting to be held and loved. </p><p>"How old are you, kiddo?" Bad asked after a moment of just standing with him. </p><p>George paused before hesitantly holding up one finger, then putting a second up, proceeding to give Bad a confused look. Bad cooed softly and smiled. "It's okay, George. You don't have to know right now. But you are very small, aren't you? Do you want me to carry you to Dream?"</p><p>George let out a soft whine and gave a nod, clutching to the fabric of Bad's shirt. Bad carefully picked the little up before carrying him out to the living room. When the two got there, Bad wasn't all that surprised to see Sapnap sitting next to a rather distressed-looking Dream trying to calm him. Bad waited a moment before lightly clearing his throat, instantly catching the attention of the other two. Bad nodded to the little curled up in his arms, and a look of recognition washed over both of their faces, though Bad saw as it quickly turned to one of guilt for Dream. </p><p>"George...Gogy?" Dream asked softly, causing the little to look at him with bloodshot, slightly teary eyes. </p><p>Dream's expression dropped as he hesitantly reached out for the boy. George whined and squirmed in Bad's grip in an attempt to get to the older, and Bad happily handed the little over. George curled up in Dream's lap, pressing face into the crook of his neck. Bad gave a warm smile. "He's very small right now, Dream. Be sensitive." He advised softly before making his way back to his room. </p><p>Dream gently brushed George's hair from his face and bounced him in his lap slightly. "I'm so sorry I upset you, lovely. I just got carried away. I didn't mean it. He explained softly, earning a small whine of satisfaction. </p><p>"F'ust'ated." George mumbled softly. </p><p>"I know, lovely. I promise I won't tease you anymore, okay?" Dream assured softly, rubbing a soft circle on his back. </p><p>"M'kay. Tankies, dada." He said quietly in response, though it came out as more of a mutter. </p><p>Sapnap hummed softly and gently messed with George's hair as the three sat together. "Do you want me to get you a bottle, sweet pea? I think you deserve some relaxing." He said softly, earning a happy mewl and a nod in response. </p><p>Sapnap stood and made his way to the kitchen. When he returned, he had a warmed bottle of angel milk for the little. He took his spot next to Dream once more, and George shifted so he was sprawled out on the two of them. George's feet laid over Dream's lap, while George's head laid comfortable against Sapnap's chest. </p><p>As Sapnap fed George his bottle, Dream thought about their small group. They may not be perfect, but they were family. And he would do anything to make sure they were all okay. Even if it meant he had to turn his ego down every once in a while.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Crewmates</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Wilbur</p><p>Tommy is continuously being voted out during his among us stream but after the bit being taken too far and being voted out one too many times, Tommy's frustration boils over, causing him to slip and rely on Wilbur to calm him down once the stream has ended. </p><p>Warnings: Swearing, sensitive little</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What the fuck? I didn't do anything! Why are you voting for me?" Tommy yelled out.</p><p>Laughs scattered around the discord as someone finally responded. "Because it's fucking funny." Schlatt retorted as Tommy got thrown out of the airlock for the ninth game in a row. </p><p>Tommy slouched back in his chair and let out a huff. He felt like he had hardly gotten to play this entire session. Every single game they had voted him out for absolutely no reason. He hadn't gotten to play through a single one of his imposter rounds because of this bit, but even worse, they threw him out even when he was innocent. Tommy was frustrated, and simply not having fun anymore. The bit was okay for a while, but he was tired of it. It was late, and he just wanted to play with his friends and have fun, but he couldn't do that! Not when he was always dead!</p><p>Tommy felt tears pricking his eyes and he quickly rubbed at them. He couldn't cry, not on the stream, but he wanted to so very badly. His chat was spamming L's, and for some reason, Tommy only found this more upsetting. The usually loud boy found himself silent as he went around doing his tasks. His chat made comments on the sudden absence of commentary, but even as the game ended and everyone cheered about the victory of the crewmates, Tommy couldn't find himself to join in.</p><p>Was he supposed to be happy? Was he supposed to pretend like he wasn't annoyed? Could he even pretend if he wanted to? Tommy waited for a brief period of silence before mumbling into his mic, though his words seemed to go unnoticed by most. </p><p>"This is gonna be my last game." He had stated.</p><p>It wasn't unreasonable. He could only take the constant bullying for so long, and he was tired. It was nearly three am in the UK, and the fuzzier his head got, the more he just wanted to slip under his blankets and drift to sleep. The game began and Tommy fell back into silence. He was just a crewmate, but he didn't much care. He just wandered the map doing tasks as he saw them. He didn't care if he looked suspicious, they would just vote him out anyways. </p><p>That was until he was killed first. And his body was instantly reported. </p><p>Tommy had mild hope they would sus out Poki for killing and self-reporting but instantly lost that hope when the comments of being happy he was killed first began. Tommy could feel the tears begin again, and before he could listen to much more, he left the discord call and left the game. He had said it would be his last anyways, so it shouldn't have much mattered, right?</p><p>Tommy held back a sniffle and gave a small outro before ending his stream, and almost instantly upon ending the stream, he went to change into the comfiest pajamas he could find. </p><p>Tommy's absence hadn't gone unnoticed, but while most of the other's played it off as a bit, there was one person who sat in genuine concern. Wilbur wore a small frown as he stared at the small message that said Tommy had left the game. It was unlike Tommy to leave without saying goodbye, and Wilbur had a strong suspicion the boy was genuinely upset. The others may not have noticed, but Wilbur had certainly picked up on Tommy falling silent and not participating in their conversation. It was very unlike him, and something Wilbur had noticed he only did when upset or regressing. </p><p>Wilbur had a sickening feeling that their bit of killing Tommy first had gone too far, and suddenly, the game at hand didn't matter. He was glad he had decided to record instead of stream because right now, he wanted to leave the game and check on the younger boy. So when he was voted out, he had no quarrels and instead, said his goodnight before logging off.</p><p>Wilbur was quick to call Tommy and wait anxiously for the boy to pick up. What was only a couple of seconds felt like hours and Wilbur couldn't stop himself from feeling worried. When Tommy finally did pick up, Wilbur instantly understood what the issue was. Tommy had regressed during the stream, and he had regressed young. The boy was in a fleece footsie, He was clutching his stuffed cow, Henry, close to him, a pacifier stuffed between his lips. Tears were already streaking down the boy's cheeks, and Tommy looked truly distressed. Wilbur frowned softly and shifted in his seat before speaking softly.</p><p>"Tommy, bub, can you talk to me? Can you tell me what's wrong?" Wilbur questioned softly, earning a pitiful whine from Tommy.</p><p>"E'body hate me. N'I jus' wan'ed to pway, Wilby!" He cried out softly. "I did' do nofin' wong! Dey was bein' meanies." </p><p>Wilbur felt an instant sense of guilt creep over him. He knew that stupid bit had gone too far, and not only had been the one to start it, but he hadn't done anything to stop it, despite knowing it was beginning to bother Tommy.</p><p>"I know, buddy. But it was just a game. They didn't mean to upset you, Toms. They were just trying to be funny for their streams. I'm sure if we told them you were upset they would apologize so quickly because they all love you so very much." He assured softly, earning a small sniffle in return.</p><p>"Don' wanna talk. Wanna s'eep. It late, Wilby. M's'eepy." Tommy whined softly, earning a soft coo from Wilbur. </p><p>"That's okay, Toms. We can talk to them tomorrow. How about you get all cozy in bed, and I can sing to you until you fall asleep. Does that sound okay?" Wilbur offered instead.</p><p>Tommy gave a nod and quickly buried himself under the pile of blankets on his bed. Wilbur shifted around for a bit before grabbing his guitar. He assured Tommy was comfortable in bed before settling into his chair, beginning to play a soft tune for the boy.</p><p>Wilbur knew that Tommy was a brash boy who could supposedly handle anything, but he also knew that deep down, his little brother was a big softy who was sensitive to far more than he let on, and he would do anything to protect that side of Tommy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Bees and Braids</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Techno CG!Tubbo</p><p>Techno is a mild little to care for but gets fussy when he's tired. Tubbo is a good big brother that just wants to keep the little's hair from getting messy.</p><p>Tubbo and Techno are overlooked and underrated ✋</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the dead of night in a small log cabin that sat in the center of a chilled snow biome, two boys were cozied up in front of a fireplace, the world outside seemingly non-existent. Their father, Phil, and brothers, Tommy and Wilbur, had gone out for the day, leaving the remaining two boys to relax in the quietness of the cabin. Looking at the duo buried in blankets, it would be reasonable to suspect the boy clad in fuzzy pink pajamas with a pig stuffed animal clutched close would be the younger of the two, but that's where this dynamic turns.</p><p>The younger boy, wearing sweatpants and a bee-covered sweatshirt sat behind his regressed brother, the little's eyes half asleep as he began dozing into the night. Their day had been long, filled with reading and walks through the forest and Techno rambled about whatever his little mind could think of (which was surprisingly a lot, though he had always been one of the smartest in the family). Tubbo sat, hairbrush in hand as he gently ran it through the boy's strawberry pink hair, detangling all the knots that had found their wait into the long locks. </p><p>Techno let out an annoyed whine and pulled his head away from the brush, causing Tubbo to sigh. It never was easy to do Techno's hair. The boy hated people touching his hair, hence how it got so long in the first place. It was really only possible to do his hair when he was regressed, and whether you considered it lucky or unfortunate for Tubbo, the younger is the only person Techno even considered letting near his hair. So, ever once in a while, while his brother was regressed, Tubbo would take the pink hair out of its braid and brush it out, only to put it right back in the braid; and there it would stay until their next battle. </p><p>"Techno, buddy, the more you fight me doing this, the longer it's going to take, you know that." Tubbo soothed softly, only to earn a small huff. </p><p>"Don' like my hair bein' touched." He mumbled softly. </p><p>Tubbo smiled softly and nodded. "I know you don't, buddy. But if you let me do it now, I don't have to do it for a long while, you know that! Besides, if we wait much longer, it's going to hurt the next time we try. And you don't want that, do you?" </p><p>"Jus' leave it alone?" Techno said though it sounded more like a question than it did a demand. </p><p>Tubbo hummed softly before giving Techno a smile. "Why don't we make a deal? If you let me do your hair, I'll make you some angel milk before bed, and I'll read you a story tonight." </p><p>Techno gave a slow blink and looked up to his brother with tired eyes. "Promise?" He asked softly.</p><p>"I pinky promise," Tubbo assured and held a pinky up to Techno. </p><p>Techno hesitated a moment before gently entwining their pinkies together. Once they separated, Techno turned and clutched his pig closes to his chest. He closed his eyes and did his best to sit still as Tubbo brushed his hair out. Tubbo was gentle, he always was, and if he accidentally hurt Techno he would always apologize thousand times over and comfort Techno as best as he could. Techno would, of course, always forgive him, but he still never liked having his hair brushed. </p><p>After Tubbo finished brushing his hair out, he very carefully began braiding the pink hair. Techno could barely feel his hair being woven into a loose braid as he began nodding off. Techno hadn't even noticed that Tubbo had tied his hair off and moved from behind him until he felt a gentle tap on his should. </p><p>Techno peeled his eyes open and looked up at Tubbo who was now holding a warmed bottle of angel milk and wore a warm smile. "Come on, buddy. Let's get you to bed, yeah?" </p><p>Techno slowly nodded and allowed Tubbo to help him stand. He leaned into the shorter as they slowly made their way up to the little's room. Once there, Tubbo helped Techno to bed and carefully tucked him in, only to get whined at. "Lay wif me, bubba," Techno mumbled. </p><p>Tubbo smiled and nodded, gently setting the bottle on Techno's bedside table. "Okay, buddy. Let me get you a book first." Tubbo said softly. He walked over to Techno's bookshelf and grabbed one of Techno's favorite children's books before climbing into bed next to him. </p><p>Techno curled up against him and Tubbo took a moment to get situated. He wrapped an arm around Techno before using that same hand to carefully feed the little. He propped his knees up and used them to support the book so he and Techno could both see it. Using his free hand, Tubbo flipped the book open and began to read.</p><p>And when the rest of the family returned home early in the morning to see Techno and Tubbo passed out, curled up against one another, they wouldn't say a word about it. However, Wilbur and Phil may or may not have gotten a few secret photos of it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. "Care" Package // Pt. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Dream</p><p>Dream finally sends Tommy another package, but Tommy knows better than to open it on stream. Instead, he finds himself on a private call, opening it with his caregiver.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy was practically vibrating with excitement as he sat in his desk chair and waited for Dream to call him over Discord. Tommy hadn't expected Dream to be so involved as a caregiver, but the older had truly surprised him! He was there every time Tommy regressed, whether that be over an actual Discord call or just text, he found a way to be there for the little. </p><p>And he had done well with making sure Tommy always felt wanted and loved as well. Dream had figured out rather quickly that, unlike Big Tommy, little Tommy was rather sensitive, and had a bad tendency to overthink just about everything he could. It troubled Dream at first, knowing that Tommy dealt with those thoughts as well but likely pushed them away until they forced themselves to the surface when he regressed. Yet, Dream never got upset when Tommy became paranoid or anxious. Instead, it always seemed like he knew just what to do and when to do it. </p><p>Tommy was pulled from his thoughts when the familiar tune of an incoming discord call rang through his headphones. Without bothering to check the caller, as he already knew who it would be, Tommy rapidly clicked the answer button and swung his feet as the call loaded up. Dream never turned his facecam on during their calls, but it never bothered Tommy. In fact, the boy hardly seemed to remember face cams were a thing during their calls. As long as Dream could see him and make sure he was okay, that's all that really mattered anyway, right?</p><p>"Dream!" Tommy gasped out in excitement, his mouth instantly forming a wide grin. </p><p>Dream let out a small chuckle and smiled to himself. "Hey, big guy. How are you doing?" He questioned. </p><p>Tommy let out a happy hum, it was yet another thing Dream had learned Tommy did a lot. Humming seemed to be a rather normal stim for the little. "M'good! Been e'cited for now!" Tommy admitted causing Dream to melt into a smile, even if Tommy couldn't see it. </p><p>"I'm glad you're excited, big guy. Do you have the package with you?" Dream asked.</p><p>Tommy nodded eagerly and reached just off-camera, grabbing another box that Dream had sent to him. Unlike the last one, it wasn't Minecraft-themed but was instead wrapped in red wrapping paper with a white bow around it. "It's so pretty! Been hard not to open it." Tommy admitted as he set the box in his lap. </p><p>"Well, I'm very proud of you for waiting! Now we get to open it together!" Dream exclaimed warmly causing Tommy to clap with a giggle. "Go ahead big guy, you can open it." Dream assured.</p><p>With permission, Tommy began opening the box. He took the ribbon off and very carefully began undoing the wrapping paper, as if not wanting to ruin anything, which Dream found to be incredibly precious. After about five minutes of Tommy just unwrapping the box itself, the paper had finally been removed, leaving Tommy with just the box. Dream was smart and had avoided tapping the box together, not wanting the little to have to use a knife while regressed. Instead, he just folded the top flaps together to keep the contents of the box securely in there. </p><p>Tommy wrestled with the box for a minute, much to Dream's amusement, before finally getting the box to pop open. Tommy gasped softly and pulled out the very top item. A large, red, fleece blanket fell over Tommy as he pulled it from the box, and the boy was quick to wrap it around himself and snuggle into it. "I's so fluffy!" He gasped out, earning a small laugh from Dream. </p><p>"You like it?" He asked curiously, earning an eager nod from the little. Without removing the blanket, the boy reached back into the box and pulled out the next item; a package containing three sippy cups. One was red, one was yellow, and one was blue. Tommy kicked his feet happily and gave Dream a happy grin.</p><p>"You've been complaining about big boy cups. Those should help some." Dream assured.</p><p>Tommy giggled happily and nodded in agreement, setting the sippy cups to the side carefully before continuing on. The next thing he pulled out was a pack of two bottles. He gave Dream a curious look before letting the older explain. "I know you don't usually regress that young, but it never hurts to have, just in case." He explained warmly. </p><p>Tommy's lips parted in understanding before he continued through the box. He pulled out a few toys and a couple of chew toys such as teething necklaces and bracelets that he could use even while big, which he was secretly grateful for as he had a bad habit of teething on whatever was available simply because he found it soothing when he got anxious. Finally, he came to a pause again when he pulled out another pack of soothers. Only, unlike last time, these weren't soothers for babies. These were adult soothers. Ones that Tommy could actually use. </p><p>"I promised you I would get you some you could actually use." Dream explained with a smile. </p><p>Tommy whined happily and gave him a smile. "T'ank you!" He exclaimed. </p><p>Dream chuckled and hummed. "Mhm. Just make sure to wash them before using them, okay big guy?" </p><p>Tommy nodded in agreement before digging through the box again. There were only a couple more things in there, but Tommy didn't care. He was happy! Dream had gotten everything he could have ever wanted! The next thing Tommy pulled out was a pair of overalls, which the boy genuinely was confused about. </p><p>Dream let out a small laugh at the expression of confusion Tommy gave before stating, "There's no reason other than I thought you would look cute in them, Tommy." </p><p>Tommy's cheeks flared in embarrassment as he carefully set them to the side and mumbled out a soft thank you. He had never been told something like that, so he wasn't entirely sure how to react to it, though Dream just seemed to be amused by it over anything. </p><p>Tommy reached into the box for the last time and grabbed the final item. He pulled out a small stuffed Minecraft cow. After staring at it for a moment, Tommy quickly looked up at Dream, lips parted in shock. Dream smiled to himself and spoke softly. "I know how badly you wanted it, Tommy. I figured you deserved to have it. What are you going to name it?" </p><p>Tommy's mind raced in surprise. He remembered telling Dream about wanting the plush, though it had been nearly a month ago, and he didn't expect Dream to remember, let alone get it for him! He had been at the store and regressed while he was out with his family. It was a scary experience to try to hide, so, of course, he was texting Dream the entire time. He remembered taking a picture of the cow and sending it to Dream, saying something along the lines of wanting it but not wanting his parents to be suspicious. He genuinely couldn't believe Dream had remembered.</p><p>"Um..Imma name 'im Henwy!" Tommy decided firmly.</p><p>Dream smiled and gave a nod. "Henry is a good name!" Dream agreed. "Now, it's getting late, and I know you've opened everything in there, so why don't we get ready for bed, yeah?" </p><p>After everything Dream had just done for him, he couldn't find it in himself to fight off bedtime. So with a nod, he stood and began getting ready for bed as Dream coaxed him through his bedtime routine. </p><p>Laying in bed as Dream told him a bedtime story, Tommy had genuinely never felt so love or thought about than he did that night, and he fell asleep with nothing in his mind other than the thought that he had probably the best caregiver in the world.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. "Care" Package // Pt. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Dream</p><p>Video calling gets boring after a while. So, what happens when Tommy finally gets to meet up with his caregiver in person?</p><p>FINAL PART</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy sat anxiously on the couch in his living room as his parents chatted with one another by the front door. His parents were going on a business trip. They were convinced he needed a babysitter, but with only two weeks' notice, the family was unsure of how to find a sitter on such short notice, so they had decided to bring Tommy with them. </p><p>Tommy had always hated traveling, and his fear of flying didn't help. So, in a state of distress, Tommy had rushed to his room and called Dream. Dream was instantly concerned, he had never seen the boy look so stressed out of seemingly nowhere. Tommy was blabbering anxiously. His words weren't entirely making sense to him, so Dream decided he needed to calm him down.</p><p>"Tommy, slow down," Dream began, keeping his voice soft and level, despite the worry that ate away at him. "Calm down. Tell me what's wrong so I can help." </p><p>Tommy sniffled and rubbed at his eyes, forcing the tears away. "M'parents have a business meetin'. They don' wan' me stayin' home alone, but can't find a sitter. I don' wanna go with them, Dream. I don' like flyin'." Tommy whined out softly, another small sniffle following. </p><p>Dream frowned softly and ran a hand through his hair as he stayed silent in thought. "If I came down to stay with you, would your parents let you stay?" Dream asked after a moment.</p><p>Tommy's head snapped up to his computer in shock. His eyes were wide, lips slightly parted as he slowly nodded, stumbling over the words before a sentence finally formed. "Um, uh-huh. But, you can' come here. You don' live here!" </p><p>Dream smiled softly to himself. "Don't worry about that, Toms. Just tell your parents I'm in town that week and would be happy to stay with you, okay? I'll figure out the rest."</p><p>Luckily, Tommy's parents had bought his story and seemed okay with Dream staying with him. After all, Dream was twenty-one and more than capable of watching over his sixteen-year-old friend for a week or so. </p><p>So now, the small family sat in the living room waiting for Dream to arrive so Tommy's parents could leave. Tommy pulled his chew necklace from under his shirt and began absent-mindedly knawing on it. His parents hadn't seemed to notice, luckily for him. Knawing on his chew necklace was something he had begun to do anytime he found himself growing anxious about something. </p><p>As soon as a knock was heard from the other side of the door, Tommy perked instantly. He quickly tucked his necklace back under his shirt and stood, scrambling over to the door. When he got there, he rather tall man with blonde hair standing at the door talking to his parents. He wore a light green sweater and had a suitcase sitting at him. </p><p>"Dream!" Tommy exclaimed with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm. Though, if his parents noticed, they chose not to say anything. </p><p>Dream turned to look at the boy he had grown so close to the last few months and gave a smile, though, unlike Tommy, he was able to restrain himself and play it cool. "Hi, Tommy." He stated, though just by the soft look in his eyes, Tommy could tell that Dream felt the same as he did. </p><p>After just a few more moments of brief conversation, Tommy's parents said their goodbyes as they were already running late and finally left Tommy and Dream on their own. Before Dream had the chance to say much of anything, Tommy embraced Dream in a tight hug that had Dream stumbling to catch his balance. </p><p>Tommy nuzzled his face into Dream's chest, and after a moment of processing, Dream relaxed. He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and pulled him close, gently ruffling his hair. "Hey, Toms. You okay?" He asked softly, keeping Tommy against him until the younger pulled away first. </p><p>Tommy nodded a bit and mumbled softly into his chest. "M'okay. Just happy you're here!" Tommy squeaked out happily.</p><p>Dream laughed softly and hummed. "I'm happy I'm here too, big guy." Dream soothed softly. "How old are you feeling right now?" Dream asked curiously, looking down at the boy in his arms.</p><p>Tommy paused before looking up to Dream and holding up five fingers. Dream smiled softly and flashed him a grin. "You're so big! Why don't we go to your room so we can find something to do, yeah?"</p><p>Tommy gave a wide nod and pulled away, grabbing Dream's hand and quickly pulling him in the direction of his room. Dream followed with a chuckle, leaving his suitcase behind. He could always get it later, and it wasn't a particular concern of his at the moment. </p><p>They entered Tommy's room and Tommy dropped Dream's hand, instantly rushing over to his bed. Dream took a moment to slowly look around. The boy had his streaming set up in the corner of his room, a minifridge sat next to it, and Dream was certain it was stocked with coca-colas. Looking back to Tommy, the boy was kneeling next to his bed and pulling out a box from under it. He slowly popped the lid off and Dream peered into the box to see that it was where Tommy stashed all his little gear. Dream smiled softly at him and nodded encouragingly. </p><p>"Go ahead, big guy. Pick something, what do you want to do?" Dream asked warmly.</p><p>Tommy hummed before digging out a coloring book and a box of crayons. "Tan we watch toonies and colow?" Tommy asked.</p><p>Dream chuckled softly and gave a warm smile. "Of course we can. What do you want to watch?" Dream questioned, sitting in Tommy's desk chair as the boy took his place on the floor. </p><p>Tommy hummed softly in thought and opened his coloring book to a new page. "I wanna watch Tom n' Jewwy." He decided firmly. </p><p>Dream smiled softly and turned on the TV in the boy's room. The two sat comfortably in silence as Tommy scribbled in his coloring book, the dulled sound of his TV show playing in the background. Dream watched as Tommy knawed on his chew necklace, and felt rather thankful that he had bought it for the boy. He knew Tommy had always had a bad habit of chewing on things when he got nervous, so he had thought that perhaps getting him something safe to chew on wouldn't have been the worst idea. He was happy to know the boy was making use of it. </p><p>Tommy got bored of coloring rather quickly, and much to Dream's surprise, the boy chose to clamber into his lap instead of choosing to occupy himself with something else. The boy crammed his face into the crook of Dream's neck and clutched onto the front of the older man's shirt. Dream gently wrapped his arms around the younger and rocked him lightly. </p><p>"Hey, big guy. You feeling okay?" Dream asked softly.</p><p>Tommy gave a small nod and paused a minute before speaking softly. "Feelin' small." He mumbled.</p><p>Dream hummed softly in understanding, running a hand through his hair. "Smaller than usual?" </p><p>Tommy nodded a small bit, causing Dream to coo softly. "Can you tell me how older you feel, big guy?" </p><p>Tommy hesitated a moment before holding up one finger, then putting a second up. He paused for a moment before hesitantly putting it back down. Dream smiled and gently bounced the boy in his lap. "Oh wow, you're very small," He murmured softly. "It's been a very eventful day. Do you just want to relax?"</p><p>Tommy slowly nodded and clutch onto Dream as the older stood, lifting the younger boy with him. He gently laid the boy on his bed and assured him he'd be back before jogging down to the kitchen. He returned after a moment, a bottle of warmed angel milk in hand, and laid in bed next to the little. Tommy curled up to Dream's side as the older put on a Disney movie, Up to be specific, before beginning to feed the bottle to Tommy. </p><p>It wasn't long after that Tommy finished his bottle and began dozing. Dream carefully replaced the bottle with one of his soothers and settled down in the bed as Tommy drifted to sleep. Taking care of Tommy had become second nature to Dream over the past couple of months, though he hadn't expected his presence to cause the boy to slip so young. Though Dream smiled. He loved taking care of Tommy, and he wouldn't give it up for anything.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Are You Drunk?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Bad CG!Skeppy</p><p>Skeppy comes home after a long day of resource gathering only to find Bad regressed. Unsure of what was happening. he couldn't think of any other explanation other than his friend being drunk.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Skeppy dragged his feet back into the nicely decorated house he shared with his best friend. He had left early that morning. The trek had been long and tiring, and as the moon settled high up in the sky, Skeppy wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed and take a nap. Stepping into the house, Skeppy hung his jacket on the coat rack and made his way towards the living room. </p><p>Tiredness burned his eyes, yet he found himself coming to a halt when he spotted his friend curled up on the couch under a pile of blankets. His eyes were half hooded, and he seemed to be mumbling something to himself that Skeppy couldn't quite make out. With hesitance, Skeppy made his way over and gently shook the boy. </p><p>"Bad? Buddy?" He asked quietly, brows furrowed in concern. </p><p>Bad's eyes drooped shut completely before the boy slowly peeled them open, staring up at his friend tiredly. "Geppy...?" He mumbled, rubbing at his eyes. </p><p>Skeppy tilted his head and nodded a bit. Skeppy was concerned. Bad was acting strange. Not in a negative way, necessarily, just in a way Skeppy had never seen before, and it left him feeling worried for his friend. He knew his friend had been feeling a bit overwhelmed recently, and he just hoped his friend hadn't ended up getting himself drunk because of it. </p><p>"Yeah, it's me," Skeppy said and paused before slowly continuing. "You okay, Bad? You seem a bit out of it. You didn't get drunk, did you?"</p><p>Bad pouted at that. The older shook his head and rubbed at his eyes again, mumbling out a response once again. "M'okay, p'omise." </p><p>Skeppy frowned and sat next to Bad on the couch. Even though his friend was telling him he was okay, he couldn't bring himself to believe it. Something was wrong with Bad, he could tell. The man was acting differently, and Skeppy knew very well that in any other circumstance, Bad would have been running to the door to greet him, complaining about how long he had been gone and how worried he had been. </p><p>"Bad, you know you can talk to me, right? If something is up, you don't have to lie to me." Skeppy said softly, causing Bad to whine.</p><p>Skeppy stared at his friend in surprise. Bad whined at him, and more than that, the boy was glaring at him as well. "M'otay, Geppy! Jus' tired." He said. There was a pause of silence where neither said anything. Skeppy wasn't entirely sure what to say, though, after a moment, Bad spoke again, though he clearly seemed hesitant on what he was saying. "Tired, n' feel small." He mumbled. </p><p>Skeppy stared at Bad in confusion and tilted his head a bit. "I...what do you mean you feel small?" Skeppy asked, earning a huff in response. </p><p>Bad curled up on himself, hugging his knees to his chest tightly. "Feel small," He stated again. "Little. Not old." He tried to explain, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration. "Wan' my blankies n' sippie, but I a'ways make da milk too hot." He complained softly.</p><p>Skeppy stared at Bad blankly. He wasn't entirely sure how to process what Bad was telling him. Blankies? Sippie? He sounded like a child. Bad never spoke this way, it didn't make sense. He said he wasn't drunk, and Bad wouldn't lie to him, but he wasn't sure what to make of being told that he felt small. </p><p>"Um, what do you mean by you feel small? Can you explain that to me, Bad?" Skeppy asked softly, though the lack of judgment in the younger's voice caused Bad to look to Skeppy with a look of hope.</p><p>"Um, I feel dis old," Bad stated, holding up four fingers in Skeppy's direction. </p><p>Skeppy bit his lip and asked after a moment. "So...felling small means you fell young? And, and act young? Yeah?" He asked, trying to wrap his mind around what his friend was telling him. </p><p>Bad hugged his knees again and gave a small nod. "Not mad?" He whispered out, looking to his best friend, a small sense of desperation eating away at him in hopes his friend would accept him. </p><p>Skeppy blinked in surprise at the question. "No, of course, I'm not mad! But when you feel..big? again," He stated, a bit of questioning in his tone as he wondered if he was using the term correctly. "I'm going to need you to explain this all to me. Is that okay?" </p><p>Bad instantly perked and released himself from being curled up, giving an eager nod. "Uh-huh!"</p><p>Skeppy smiled and gave a nod before standing. "Um, you said something about always making your milk too hot. Do you want to tell me what to do so I can make it for you?" Skeppy offered.</p><p>Bad let out a happy gasp and clambered off the couch. "You do dat, Geppy?" He asked in awe, causing Skeppy to smile.</p><p>"Of course. Don't need you getting hurt, now do we?" Skeppy assured, leading Bad into the kitchen. </p><p>Bad revealed to him where he hid his sippy cups (and even a few bottles), and Skeppy was shocked that he had never noticed them before. Then again, Skeppy had never really been the most observant of the two, so it wasn't saying much. Bad taught Skeppy what Angel Milk was and how to make it and only fought him a bit when Skeppy refused to give him the sippy cup until the milk had cooled down. </p><p>Once the boy was content with his drink, Skeppy led Bad to his room, where Bad introduced Skeppy to his favorite stuffed animal; it was a little chicken he had name Skep. He claimed his favorite little friend needed to have the same name as his actual best friend, after all. </p><p>Skeppy helped Bad settle to bed, and after several minutes of debate, he found himself settled into bed next to his friend. The little had curled into his side, his plush clutched close to his chest. Though Skeppy had expected it to be awkward and uncomfortable, he was actually rather content in his position. The empty sippy cup now sat on the nightstand as Bad drifted to sleep, leaving Skeppy to process the events of the night.</p><p>Though he was still confused and a little lost, he knew Bad would explain it to him in the morning. And he also knew that he would now make it a priority to keep his best friend protected; even if Bad told him otherwise.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0051"><h2>51. Comfort // Pt. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Dream CG!Techno</p><p>Sam wasn't sure what he was expecting to witness on those cameras, but it certainly wasn't Dream being babied. Yet, he vowed to keep their secret and continued sneaking Techno in. It wasn't until Sapnap and George paid a visit and caught Techno and Dream in the act that things got messy and perhaps a bit awkward.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam stared in silence at Techno as Techno simply stared back. Sam stood in front of the monitors that were linked to the security cameras, a million questions racing through his head, yet at the moment, he said nothing. He wasn't entirely sure of what to say. How was he supposed to ask what was going on? Just say, oh yes, I saw you babying Dream now explain? Sam couldn't do that. He wasn't entirely sure how delicate the situation was, so instead, he waited for Techno to speak on it.</p><p>Techno simply gave the warden a blank expression and spoke simply. "I know you have questions, Sam. Ask them before I leave."</p><p>Same stuttered over his words as his brain attempted to form a cohesive sentence. He didn't want to sound rude in his approach, yet he also wasn't sure how else to ask about what he had just witnessed. "What was that?" Sam finally sputtered out.</p><p>Techno gave a casual shrug and leaned against the wall. "Age regression. He sometimes slips to a younger age to help deal with whatever he's struggling with at that moment. I caught him while regressed about a year ago, and I've sort of taken care of him since." Techno explained simply. </p><p>Sam took a moment to process the words before speaking quietly. "But, he wasn't, um, regressed? Before you got here?" Sam questioned, looking to Techno for answers.</p><p>"I made him regress, Sam." Techno explained. "He was self-punishing himself. Forcing himself to stay big, which is probably why he wasn't taking care of himself for so long. Even if he's big, if he's stuck between headspaces like that, he won't take care of himself because deep down he wants someone to take care of him." </p><p>Sam bit his lip as he pondered over what the piglin said before looking over to Techno. "So...should I be expecting you tomorrow then?" Sam questioned.</p><p>Techno raised an eyebrow at the older before giving a sigh and nodding. "Yeah. I'll be back here. Same time tomorrow."</p><p>---</p><p>Techno and Sam had fallen into a steady routine of sneaking the piglin into the prison after hours for Dream. He had made it a point to visit every day for nearly a month now, and Sam could physically see the difference in Dream while Techno wasn't there. The boy was beginning to eat again, he was taking naps throughout the day, and had even picked up on writing, or occasionally doodling in the journals Sam had given him. It was obvious Dream was making an effort to get better for Techno, and Sam found the gestures very sweet. </p><p>Sam hadn't expected much to happen, people very, very rarely came to the prison to visit Dream during the day, so when Sam heard a buzz on the door to the prison entrance, it startled him a bit. Quickly standing and making his way to the door, Sam peered out and was rather surprised to see George and Sapnap waiting patiently to be let in. </p><p>Sam quickly stiffened up, allowing himself to put on the prison warden act before opening up the door. "George, Sapnap. What can I do for you guys?"</p><p> "We came to visit Dream," Sapnap stated, George, nodding in agreement.</p><p>Sam shrugged a bit and stepped aside, letting the two boys enter. He led them through the intense protocols required to visit the prisoner before letting down the wall of lava. The boys stepped onto the bridge that extended to the cell and slowly began making the walk over. A large barrier blocked the two boys from entering the cell. Sam walked back to his office as the wall of lava began lowering. The wall would automatically lower once the lava hit a certain censor, so Sam wasn't concerned about lowering the wall. </p><p>As Sam seated himself in his office, he scanned over the monitors and felt his heart plummet when he spotted the ones that broadcasted the cameras in Dream's room. Techno was still in Dream's cell, and Dream was still very much curled up napping against Techno. Sam felt panic hit him like a truck. There wasn't anything he could do now, the lava wall couldn't be lifted until it was completely lowered again, and he was too far from the guard's entrance to get Techno out in time. He felt guilt wash over him as the wall dropped and the two visitors entered the room.</p><p>When Sapnap and George walked into the cell, they were confused, to say the least. Their best friend was curled against the infamously dangerous Technoblade with a pacifier in his mouth, while Techno willingly cuddled the man back. They weren't entirely sure how to process the scene before them, or where to begin with questioning it, all they knew is the minute Techno's eyes opened, a wave of awkwardness and silence washed over the three of them as they simply stared, no one daring to make the first move. </p><p>The silence was finally broken when Techno decided to speak, though his tone didn't sound amused, nor did it sound very happy at all. "What're you guys doing here?" He asked, though his voice was kept quiet as to not wake the boy curled up against him. </p><p>Sapnap raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "We wanted to visit Dream. What are you doing here Techno? And what's going on here?" The man retorted, only to be elbowed in the side by George. </p><p>"Don't be rude about it, Sapnap. Let him explain first." George grumbled out, earning an annoyed huff from the younger.</p><p>"Well," Techno began, figuring it wasn't the best time to lie about what was actually happening. "Dream is a little, and I take care of him. Have for a while now." Techno said bluntly.</p><p>George's eyebrow furrowed in confusion. "Little?" He questioned, quickly to be followed up by Sapnap.</p><p>"Isn't that what Phil and Tommy call Tubbo? So like, does he run around and act like a kid too?" Sapnap questioned.</p><p>Techno just hummed a bit and gave a nod in response. "Yeah, something like that," Techno mumbled. "I guess Sam forgot I was here. I don't usually stay through the entire night. But people don't usually visit either." Techno thought out loud with a shrug.</p><p>The movement of the shrug caused the young boy to stir. Rubbing at his eyes, Dream slowly, blinked himself awake and looked up to Techno. His lack of observation was enough to let Techno know the boy was still in his littlespace, and an odd sense of protectiveness overwhelmed him as he instinctively pulled Dream closer to him. </p><p>"Mornin' Techie." The boy mumbled from around his pacifier as he rubbed his eyes again.</p><p>"Morning, mikró," Techno murmured. "You have some guests here to visit." He warned softly.</p><p>Dream's tired eyes shifted to where Sapnap and George watched with interest, though his regressed mind didn't let him panic about his friends discovering his regression. "Sappy? Goggy? Wha' you doin' here?" He asked softly, and George found himself smiling. </p><p>"Hi Dream. Sapnap and I just wanted to come to say hi and check on you. Have you been doing okay?" George asked. </p><p>Dream nod and gave a yawn, and thankfully, Techno was quick enough to catch the pacifier that fell from his mouth. "M'okay. Techie been takin' care of me, n' makin' me feel better." </p><p>Sapnap hummed softly and nodded a bit. "Yeah, has he been taking good care of you?" He questioned, casting the piglin an untrusting side glance, which the older simply returned. </p><p>Dream quickly nodded and leaned into Techno's side again. "Techie a'ways take good cawe of me." </p><p>George nodded and sat on the edge of the bed, glancing at Techno, then back to Dream. "How long has Techno been taking care of you, buddy?"</p><p>Dream hummed in thought before giving a shrug. "Long time." He said simply as he picked up Spirit from the spot on the bed next to him.</p><p>Sapnap went to say something, but before he could, Techno cut him off, stating the answer both men wanted to hear. "A little over a year. About a year and a half." He stated gruffly, keeping Dream close to him, though the little didn't seem to notice the overly protective behavior.</p><p>Their visit continued quite a while longer; Dream just being happy he got to see his friend, while there continued to be an underlying tension in the air between Sapnap, George, and Techno. All while Sam sat in his office watching the cameras, simply thankful the three hadn't killed each other over Dream. Though, he couldn't say the same would go for him when Techno saw him after Sapnap and George left.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0052"><h2>52. Rumor has it</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Quackity CG!Karl</p><p>Karl knew he made Quackity flustered and nervous, but he didn't know what that meant until he played into it. Now he was left to deal with the results.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Come on Quackity!"Karl said with a giggle. "Why are you so embarrassed? Your face is so red!" Karl teased as he and Quackity sat in Karl's room.</p><p>Quackity was visiting Karl in person for the first time in a few months and both boys felt giddy and excited. However, the longer their day went on, the more fun Karl was beginning to have teasing the younger. It wasn't particularly a bad thing, Quackity always enjoyed how lighthearted their friendship was and how they could make jokes without any real consequence. </p><p>However, ever since Quackity had arrived at Karl's the boy had felt rather giggly and airy. There wasn't much going on in his mind at the moment, and he just felt warm and relaxed. Karl made him happy, he didn't think that was such a bad thing. Though what could very possibly prove to be a problem was his ever so slow slip into littlespace. </p><p>Quackity could feel his face heat up even more at the accusation Karl threw at him and instinctively hid his face behind hid guitar that sat in his lap, a small grin tugging at his lips as he laughed a bit. "Shut up, Karl!" He laughed out.</p><p>Karl playfully cooed and leaned closer to Quackity. "You're hiding from me! Stop hiding, Quackity!" Karl laughed out as well. </p><p>"No! You're doin' this on purpose, Karl!" Quackity half whined. </p><p>Karl tilted his head curiously at the slip in Quackity's wording, though the older said nothing of it. Instead, Karl continued on with what he was doing, teasing his friend ever so softly. "And what if I am? What are you gonna do then, hm?"</p><p>Quackity's face lit up bright red as he peered up at Karl. "Nothin'." He mumbled, nibbling on his lip. </p><p>Karl bit his lip before speaking softly. "You okay, Quackity?" He asked softly. </p><p>Quackity hummed softly and nodded. "Yeah." He mumbled.</p><p>"You suuuure?" Karl pressed softly.</p><p>Quackity peered up at Karl from behind his guitar and nodded a bit. "Mhm. M'sure."</p><p>Karl shifted his weight a bit and sat upright. "Yeah? You sound kind of tired. Is that what's wrong?" He asked softly. </p><p>Quackity slowly shook his head and stared at Karl. "Nu-uh. Just feel fuzzy." </p><p>"Fuzzy?" Karl asked curiously, tilting his head. </p><p>"Mhm. Fuzzy an' warm an' small." Quackity informed promptly. </p><p>Karl bit his lip in thought before speaking after a moment. "Can you explain what you mean by that? So I can help?" </p><p>Quackity nodded a bit and sat up a bit. "Feel dis' old," Quackity stated, holding five fingers up. </p><p>Karl blinked in surprise and tilted his head. "You feel...you feel like you're five?" He questioned for clarification. </p><p>Quackity hummed lightly and nodded, hugging his guitar to his chest. Though confused, Karl was certain that if Quackity felt like he was five, he should treat him as though he was five. "Oh! Well, if you feel so small you probably shouldn't be holding your guitar right now! We don't want to risk breaking it, now do we?" Karl suggested, giving Quackity a smile. </p><p>Quackity stared at Karl for a long moment before giving a nod and handing his guitar over. "M'kay!"</p><p>Karl smiled and took the guitar, carefully tucking it away. "What do you say about getting some lunch, hm?"</p><p>Quackity gasped excitedly and swung his feet happily. "Can we eats grilled cheeses?" </p><p>Karl laughed softly and gave a small nod. "Mhm. Of course, we can!" Karl instantly agreed, standing and offering the boy a hand. </p><p>Quackity gripped Karl's hand and clumsily scrambled up to his feet. He shuffled after the older as they made their way to the kitchen. And when Quackity asked for help getting onto the countertop so he could watch Karl cook, Karl didn't question it and instead lifted the boy so he could sit on the countertop. </p><p>Karl began making them both a grilled cheese and let Quackity have control of the music on his phone. They sang along to High School Musical and old Disney songs. Karl smiled every time he left Quackity giggling from singing in a silly voice. </p><p>Once their food was ready, Karl helped Quackity off the counter and led the boy back to the living room. They settled on the couch and Karl turned on iCarly (per Quackity's request) as they began eating their lunch. </p><p>Their food was long gone by the time Karl noticed Quackity was leaning into his side. Quackity was rubbing at his eyes, exhaustion beginning to take over his face. Karl smiled and wrapped an arm around the younger boy. Quackity curled into his friend's side and loosely clutched the fabric of Karl's sweatshirt. Karl found himself rubbing gentle circles on Quackity's hip, the boy humming happily at the gentle sensations. </p><p>"Are you tired, Big Q?" Karl asked softly, earning a quiet nod from Quackity. Karl smiled softly and nodded. "That's alright. Go ahead and take a nap then."</p><p>Quackity whined a bit and squirmed, glancing up at Karl. "P'omise you won' leave?"</p><p>Karl gave Quackity a cheeky grin and nodded. "I promise. I'm not going anywhere, Big Q."</p><p>Quackity gave a small nod and let his eyes flutter shut. Karl may not have a full grasp on what was going on, but he was a quick learner, and he would do anything for his friends. So when Quackity woke up to Karl having surprised him by ordering cookies for them, Quackity quickly understood he made a great decision in no longer hiding his regression from his best friend.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0053"><h2>53. Trapped Chest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Sapnap CG!Phil</p><p>Sapnap is already worn and exhausted, but upon being sent on another mission by Dream, Sapnap can feel his regression creeping in on him. It doesn't help when he has to steal something from Techno, and in the process of trying to find it, accidentally uncovers one of Techno's biggest secrets. And he also just so happens to get caught by Phil.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sapnap felt his entire mind go blank as he continued the trek towards the snowy biome that had become well recognized as Techno's home. The boy was tired and dizzy. His mind felt fuzzy, but then again, he had felt fuzzy for a few weeks now. Dream was exhausting him - using him as he pleased and Sapnap felt as though he couldn't say no. He was bound to Dream. The man was his best friend, how could he say no to him? </p><p>Rubbing at his eyes, Sapnap slowly approached the familiar-looking cabin buried deep in the snowy woods. Sapnap looked around, assuring Techno wasn't home before quietly wiggling his way in through an unlocked window. </p><p>A sudden feeling of warmth washed over the skin that had been left exposed on Sapnap. His bright pink cheeks tingled as feeling began to return to them, and for a moment, Sapnap was tempted to just curl up in front of the fireplace and take a nap. But he couldn't do that. He knew he couldn't do that. He simply couldn't risk being caught, and the thought of what Techno would do if he found him there was enough to keep Sapnap moving. </p><p>Sapnap didn't understand why Dream wanted this ax so bad, to begin with. After all, his war with Tommy was over, so what value did it hold over him anymore? Sapnap popped a chest open and began digging through it fruitlessly. He was only half paying attention, but truthfully, how hard could it be to find a giant ax that had become a staple amongst their land? Sapnap stifled a yawn as he moved to the next chest. Nether quartz, eyes of ender, ender pearls, blaze rods, and more were all neatly organized amongst the chests, and while they were all things Sapnap could find useful at any other time, he couldn't be bothered to find a use for them at that moment. </p><p>Out of the corner of his eye, Sapnap spotted a small chest tucked behind all the others, and excitement overwhelmed him quickly. Surely if the Ax of Peace was anywhere, it would be in a hidden chest, right? Sapnap grinned to himself and lifted the chest, setting it in the open before plopping down in front of it. He popped the chest open instantly felt himself falter. Inside was not an ax or any form of weapon, but instead, he saw a large, fluffy pink blanket folded up neatly. Furrowing his eyebrows, Sapnap slowly removed the blanket and stared in surprise at the contents of the chest. Under the blanket, hidden away were various sippy cups, bottles, pacifiers, and stuffed animals. Sapnap felt confused. These were things that Sapnap would have; things a little would have. What were they doing inside of Techno's house? And why were they in a secret chest?</p><p>"What are you doing here, Sapnap? And what are you doing going through Techno's stuff?" </p><p>Sapnap's head whipped around to look behind him, and he was met with Phil who wore a very dark and upset expression. Sapnap's lips parted as he glanced between Phil and the chest. The realization of what he had discovered hit him all too quickly, and suddenly, he was gone. He didn't mean to find out that Techno was a little, and he didn't mean to make Phil mad! He was just trying to do what Dream wanted!</p><p>"M'sowwy Phil! Didn' mean to be bad! Was jus tryna fin' da ax fowr Dweam." Sapnap stuttered out, rubbing at his eyes aggressively as tears began threatening to spill from them. </p><p>Phil narrowed his eyes as he looked over the boy before him. He had never seen Sapnap so vulnerable or fragile. He hadn't even yelled at the boy, nor had he threatened him, yet Sapnap seemed to be falling apart before him. As angry as Phil should have been at Sapnap for breaking in and snooping through their stuff with the intention of stealing, Phil found himself feeling more worried than anything. </p><p>Phil slowly kneeled down in front of Sapnap and rested a hand on his knee. "Sapnap, are you okay?" Phil asked softly.</p><p>Sapnap sniffled softly and peered at Phil with wide teary eyes. "I didn' wanna be bad. Was tryna be good." He whimpered out softly. </p><p>Phil frowned and glanced between Techno's little gear before looking back to Sapnap. It took him a moment to think it over before things finally clicked, but once it did, Phil internally kicked himself for not catching onto it as soon as it had happened. "Sapnap, how old are you?" Phil asked softly.</p><p>Sapnap rubbed at his eyes again before shakily holding up two fingers. Phil gave a soft look and ran his fingers through Sapnap's hair. "Poor boy. Slipped so fast, didn't you? Did Dream send you out while you were between headspaces?" Phil asked softly. </p><p>Sapnap nodded a bit before speaking in a voice just above a whisper. "How you know?" </p><p>Phil smiled softly and hummed. "Well, clearly you aren't the first little I've come across," Phil said playfully. "Spend enough time with enough littles, and you begin to learn the patterns. Now, we have two options here. Either I can take you back home so you can rest, or you can stay here with me until you're ready to be big again. Which would you prefer?" </p><p>"Stay," Sapnap said almost instantly, and the speed at which he responded had Phil a bit concerned. </p><p>"Do you have anyone that takes care of you? Does anyone know you regress, kiddo?" Phil asked softly.</p><p>"Dweam n' Gogy n' Kawl n' Q knows. But dey don' take cawe of me. Kawl take cawe of me if he cans, but he always busy n' not hewe." Sapnap mumbled out softly. </p><p>Phil's expression softened in understanding as he slowly stood. "Alright kiddo. Why don't we go ahead and get you all comfy for tonight then, yeah?" Phil offered softly.</p><p>Sapnap nodded and reached up towards Phil, hiding his face in the older's neck when he was lifted by him. Sapnap felt warm. It was the first time he had properly been taken care of by someone who knew what to do and how to do it. He loved Karl, but his fiance always seemed preoccupied with other things recently, and it always felt like everyone was too busy for him. </p><p>Sapnap felt himself being placed on a plush couch, and reluctantly, he let go of Phil. Phil took the blanket off the back of the couch and gently wrapped it around the little. Phil gently ruffled the boy's hair, eliciting a small giggle from him. "Stay here for me, kiddo. I'm going to go make you something to drink, alright?" </p><p>Phil stepped away and made his way to where Sapnap left Techno's chest. He carefully tucked everything away except for a single bottle and pacifier he knew Techno didn't like, and wouldn't care if he let Sapnap use instead. He carefully tucked the chest back into its place before making his way into the kitchen. While the milk was heating, Phil made sure to clean the pacifier before grabbing the bottle of angel milk and making his way back to Sapnap.</p><p>The boy hadn't moved. Instead, he was simply rocking himself and humming quietly. Phil smiled and sat next to him, giving him a smile. "Hey, kiddo. You want a bottle?" Phil offered softly. </p><p>Sapnap quickly nodded and curled into Phil's side. Phil wrapped an arm around the younger boy and held him close as he carefully fed him the bottle. Sapnap was half asleep by the time he finished the milk, and Phil was quick to replace the bottle with the pacifier and gently rock the boy to sleep. When Techno returned home that night, of course, he was irritated about the situation as a whole, but truly, how could he stay upset with someone as little as Sapnap?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0054"><h2>54. Delayed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Purple CG!Dream</p><p>A couple of the guys plan a trip together for the first time. Purpled and Dream end up having the same layover flight, but when the flight gets delayed, Purple is quick to become stressed and overwhelmed leaving Dream to do everything he can to make the little comfortable.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Purpled slowly shuffled out of his gate and into the overcrowded airport. It was the first time his parents were letting him travel on his own, and realistically, they were only letting him travel because he was meeting up with someone on his layover. Purpled didn't mind though. He was getting to hang out with all of his friends this week! </p><p>Blue eyes scanned along the small food court area he and Dream had agreed to meet at. It didn't entirely help that he didn't know what Dream looked like, but Dream had informed him he would be wearing his bright green hoodie and would be by the McDonalds. Purple's eyebrows furrowed as he scanned around, but he let out a small yelp of surprise when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind. </p><p>"Surprise!" Dream exclaimed, letting out a small laugh. </p><p>Purpled let out a small, annoyed huff and shrugged Dream's arms off of him. "That wasn't very nice you know." Purpled sassed softly, only to get a grin in response. </p><p>"So what? I'm allowed to spook you because I'm buying you lunch." Dream said firmly, leading the younger to the McDonalds line. </p><p>Purpled rolled his eyes but found himself smiling nonetheless. "You don't have to, you know."</p><p>"Yeah, I know." Dream said with a shrug. "But I'm going to anyway."</p><p>Once both boys had their food, courtesy of Dream, they found a place to sit near their gate and began munching away. The conversation was nice, and Purpled was rather happy he was going to get to spend his second flight with Dream instead of alone. The older man was good company, and even though they didn't talk as much as some of the other members of the SMP, they were still rather good friends, even if they didn't really show it on screen as the others did. </p><p>Purpled felt like it was taking forever for their flight to be called, and truthfully, that's because it was. Glancing at a nearby clock, Purpled frowned. "Hey Dream, weren't we supposed to board like, thirty minutes ago?" </p><p>Dream frowned deeply and nodded slowly. "Shit, yeah. You're right. Let me go see what's going on. I'll be right back." Dream said before standing. </p><p>Purpled watched as Dream walked up to the attendant near their gate and tried to assure himself that it was fine. Stuff like this happened all the time, right? At least he wasn't alone, he had Dream there with him! Sure everything was okay. Though when Dream walked back to him with a concerned look, he was quickly feeling doubtful and fear-ridden once more.</p><p>"They're saying there's a huge storm coming this way. The flight has been delayed, but they don't know for how long. It could be an hour, it could be overnight. They just know it isn't safe to have a plane out there right now."</p><p>Purpled swore he could cry. He wouldn't say he was an anxiety-ridden person, but he liked sticking to a schedule! And when that schedule was thrown off, it bothered him, wouldn't it bother anyone? And it certainly didn't help that he was deathly terrified of storms. The last place he wanted to be was trapped in a public place with a bunch of strangers while there was a storm going on. </p><p>Purpled must have zoned out entirely, because when he came back to his sense, Dream was kneeling in front of him, calling his name with a concerned expression. "Purpled, you okay man? You started zoning out on me."</p><p>Purpled hesitantly nodded, though he could already feel a familiar fuzziness he wanted all too desperately to fight off creeping in. "Mhm. Sorry, I was just thinking. Um, should we text the others and let them know we're going to be late?"</p><p>Dream gave Purpled a quizzical look. "I already did. How long were you zoned out on me?"</p><p>Purpled felt his face flush. He tried to think of a poor excuse, but before any words could come out of his mouth, a loud crash of thunder struck, causing the younger boy to visibly flinch. He had hoped Dream didn't see it, but the softening expression on Dream's face told him otherwise. </p><p>"Purpled, are you afraid of storms?" Dream asked softly.</p><p>Purple stared at him silently for a moment before slowly nodding his head. "Yeah." He whispered out. </p><p>Dream gave a warm smile and move to sit next to him. "What can I do to help you?" </p><p>Purpled wished Dream wasn't being so kind, god he wished he wasn't being nice. The fuzziness in his mind was becoming more of a problem but seemed more welcoming by the moment. Would Dream be accepting? Would he be okay if he slipped, or would he be completely repulsed by the idea? </p><p>"Nothin'." He decided after a moment, falling quiet after that in fear his speech would give away his slowly shifting headspace. </p><p>Dream gave him a soft look and frowned. "Are you sure, Purpled? I don't want you to spend the time here panicking or upset." </p><p>Purpled let out a small hum, his fingers subconsciously beginning to fiddle with the strings on his hoodie. "I be okay." He mumbled softly.</p><p>Dream looked at Purpled for a long moment, not saying anything. He had seen this behavior before, with his own friends even. Not that he'd reveal that to the young boy, but he didn't want Purpled to feel like he had to hide from him, because he was certain that was why the boy was acting so distant. Did he genuinely think he wouldn't accept him?</p><p>"Purpled, I need you, to be honest with me right now, okay?" He said softly, earning a small nod from the boy next to him. "How old are you right now?"</p><p>Purpled turned to him with a slightly confused, yet panicked look. His eyes went wide, and his lips parted just slightly, yet no words came out as an actual answer. Dream just gave a warm smile of assurance before speaking again. "Purpled, it's okay. It doesn't bother me. I just want you to be comfortable right now." He assured the small boy. </p><p>Dream could see the younger boy visibly relax at the words of reassurance, and that made Dream feel a bit better in that he hadn't made the wrong assumption. Purpled rubbed at his eyes for a moment before hesitantly holding up five fingers, shyly glancing towards Dream. </p><p>"You're five? Is that so?" Dream hummed out softly, earning a nod from Purpled. Another crash of thunder sounded around the airport, and this time Dream heard an audible whimper come from the little next to him. </p><p>Dream moved closer to Purpled and wrapped an arm around the younger, allowed the boy to quickly curl up against him. "Why don't we watch some cartoons, hm? Do you have any favorites?" Dream asked the boy.</p><p>Purpled half hid his face in the taller man's side before mumbling out his answer. Though it was nearly inaudible, Dream was able to understand what the boy was trying to say, and without much hesitance, Dream pulled out his phone and earbuds, loading up Duck Tales as the boy put the earbuds in. </p><p>It may not have been the most ideal situation, but Dream had finally gotten Purpled to settle and block out the thunder, and before either of them realized it, they were curled up together and sleeping, waiting for the storm to pass to they could finally go see the rest of their friends.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0055"><h2>55. Late Night Monsters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Karl CG!Sapnap and Quackity</p><p>Karl had spent an unhealthy number of nights staying up until ten am or later to work on his next big stream, surviving on nothing but Monsters and unhealthy foods. Despite it clearly taking a toll on him, he refused to take a break, so his two favorite people decided it was time that they stepped in.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Karl sat wide awake at his desk. Several empty Monster cans sat on his desk next to him as he worked away at the build to his next Tales stream. It was nearly five in the morning, and Karl was going on day four with little to no sleep whatsoever. He knew it likely wasn't the healthiest thing for him to be doing, but he was so excited to do his next Tales stream, that he wanted to have it ready as soon as humanly possible! </p><p>He knew Quackity and Sapnap were becoming worried for him, despite his countless protests that he was quite alright. He wasn't entirely lying to them, because he was okay! Sure, he felt a bit fuzzy at times; perhaps a bit too fuzzy for him to be pushing it away just to work on his Tales build, but he figured he would be okay. After all, he could always regress once the stream was done, and that was what he planned to do. </p><p>Though he could tell his friends were becoming more and more concerned. He was recieving constant text messages, phone calls, even discord messages from them asking if he had eaten, taken a break, drinken any water, etc. As much as he loved his friends, it was beginning to get on his nerves, and last night, he had muted them so he could work in piece. </p><p>This was, apparently, not as great of a plan as he had thought it would be, because around five thirty in the morning, ther was a knock on Karl's door. Karl glanced at his clock in confusion before hesitantly standing and making his way to the door. He lived in North Carolina, and if someone was going to murder him, surely they wouldn't knock on the door first. So, with just another moment of hesitation, Karl opened the door and stared in shock as his friends were revealed to be standing on the other side. </p><p>"I told you he would still be awake." Quackity told Sapnap firmly.</p><p>"Well I wasn't sure! He hadn't even opened my messages! I was hopeful he had finally taken a break and slept." Sapnap retorted with a huff.</p><p>Karl finally snapped out of his shock and shook his head, furrowing his eyebrows. "Alex, Nick? What on earth are you guys doing here?" He asked curiously, though there was a mildly defencive tone laced in his words. </p><p>"What do you think we're doing here, Karl? We're here to get you to take a goddamn break." Quackity said back, pushing his way into the older man's house as Sapnap followed.</p><p>"I don't need to take a break! I've told you a million times that I'm fine!" Karl retorted, a small pout making its way onto his face. </p><p>Quackity and Sapnap gave each other a knowing glance before Sapnap stepped up to Karl. "Karl, you are not fine. You've been over working yourself, and you need to take a break. I guarentee you if I walk into your office, I will count four or more cans of Monster on your desk. And I can also pretty much guarentee that you can't tell me the last time you ate. If you can prove me wrong on either of these things, then please feel free to." Sapnap stated before falling into silence, waiting patiently for Karl's answer. </p><p>Karl stuttered over his words, a small look of shame washing over his face as he realized he wasn't able to refute what Sapnap said. The blue-eyed boy glanced between Sapnap and Quackity with a small look of panic and guilt, though Quackity was quick to step in and wipe away those painful feelings.</p><p>"Karl, it's okay," Quackity assured softly, stepping up to stand next to Sapnap. "We just want to make sure you're okay, and to be okay, you have to take care of yourself. And if you aren't going to take care of yourself, then Sap and I are going to take care of you instead."</p><p>Karl's eyes welled with tears as he gave a small sniffle. "M'sorry. I just wan' my stream to be good. Didn' mean to make you guys upset. I did bad." The boy whispered out.</p><p>Quackity's expression softed as he gently cupped the boy's cheeks. "No no no, Karl, it's okay. We know you want your stream to be good, and it will be, it's going to be perfect!" Quackity assured softly. "You didn't do bad for working hard. You didn't upset us. We just want to make sure you feel good while working hard too." Quackity said, giving the boy a warm smile. "You've been pushing off your regression, haven't you, bub?" </p><p>Karl let out a small, choked whimper before he began fully sobbing. The boy was tired and hungry. He was overwhelmed by everything and nothing and he wasn't sure what he wanted to do in that moment. Karl could feel his knees wobble before his legs gave out entirely, though thankfully he felt a pair of arms catch him before he hit the ground. </p><p>Karl clutched onto the front of Sapnap's shirt and buried his face into Sapnap's neck. Karl could hear quiet conversation between Sapnap and Quackity before he felt himself being led off and carefully sat on the couch. Karl quickly clambered into Sapnaps lap and clung onto the man. Sapnap gently rocked the boy in a soothing manner, running his fingers through the slightly overgrown hair. </p><p>Sitting there comfortably, it only took another moment before Quackity approached the two boys again. Quackity gave a smile and set a small bundle of Karl's little gear next to the duo. "Why don't you get him situated while I go make him something to eat. Does that work?" Quackity asked, earning a nod from Sapnap. </p><p>"Yeah, of course. Thanks for getting his stuff." Sapnap said with a smile. </p><p>Quackity walked to the kitchen, and after another moment of just holding Karl, Sapnap spoke softly to the boy on his lap. "Hey cupcake, you feeling okay? You think you'd be okay with getting changed into some comfy clothes?" </p><p>Karl let out a soft whine before slowly pulling away from Sapnap, giving a nod. "Yeah, I can do dat." He mumbled softly.</p><p>Sapnap smiled softly and grabbed the soft pair of cartoon themed pajamas Quackity had picked out. "Do you need help? Or are you big enough to change alone."</p><p>Karl rubbed at his eyes and gently gripped onto the pajamas. "I can dos it, dada. I be back in a minute." Karl said softly before standing, making his way to the bathroom. </p><p>It was a few minutes later when Karl shuffled back out, now in his comfy clothes. Sapnap said nothing as Karl situated himself back into the boy's lap. Sapnap wrapped a fuzzy blanket around the two of them and handed Karl his favorite teddy bear. It was only a few moments later that Quackity walked out with a grilled cheese for each of them and a sippy cup of apple juice for Karl. </p><p>Karl perked up when he saw Quackity enter the room and quickly reached out for him. Quackity laughed softly and sat next to the duo and carefully handed Karl his grilled cheese and sippy cup. Karl happily began nibbling on the food, and knowing Karl was willingly feeding himself allowed the other two boys to relax and eat themselves.</p><p>It was a long night for all of them, but knowing that Karl was taking a break and finally letting himself relax made it well worth it. Plus, it would always be worth the trip to visit each other in person.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Late Night Monsters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Karl CG!Sapnap and Quackity</p><p>Karl had spent an unhealthy number of nights staying up until ten am or later to work on his next big stream, surviving on nothing but Monsters and unhealthy foods. Despite it clearly taking a toll on him, he refused to take a break, so his two favorite people decided it was time that they stepped in.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Karl sat wide awake at his desk. Several empty Monster cans sat on his desk next to him as he worked away at the build to his next Tales stream. It was nearly five in the morning, and Karl was going on day four with little to no sleep whatsoever. He knew it likely wasn't the healthiest thing for him to be doing, but he was so excited to do his next Tales stream, that he wanted to have it ready as soon as humanly possible! </p><p>He knew Quackity and Sapnap were becoming worried for him, despite his countless protests that he was quite alright. He wasn't entirely lying to them, because he was okay! Sure, he felt a bit fuzzy at times; perhaps a bit too fuzzy for him to be pushing it away just to work on his Tales build, but he figured he would be okay. After all, he could always regress once the stream was done, and that was what he planned to do. </p><p>Though he could tell his friends were becoming more and more concerned. He was recieving constant text messages, phone calls, even discord messages from them asking if he had eaten, taken a break, drinken any water, etc. As much as he loved his friends, it was beginning to get on his nerves, and last night, he had muted them so he could work in piece. </p><p>This was, apparently, not as great of a plan as he had thought it would be, because around five thirty in the morning, ther was a knock on Karl's door. Karl glanced at his clock in confusion before hesitantly standing and making his way to the door. He lived in North Carolina, and if someone was going to murder him, surely they wouldn't knock on the door first. So, with just another moment of hesitation, Karl opened the door and stared in shock as his friends were revealed to be standing on the other side. </p><p>"I told you he would still be awake." Quackity told Sapnap firmly.</p><p>"Well I wasn't sure! He hadn't even opened my messages! I was hopeful he had finally taken a break and slept." Sapnap retorted with a huff.</p><p>Karl finally snapped out of his shock and shook his head, furrowing his eyebrows. "Alex, Nick? What on earth are you guys doing here?" He asked curiously, though there was a mildly defencive tone laced in his words. </p><p>"What do you think we're doing here, Karl? We're here to get you to take a goddamn break." Quackity said back, pushing his way into the older man's house as Sapnap followed.</p><p>"I don't need to take a break! I've told you a million times that I'm fine!" Karl retorted, a small pout making its way onto his face. </p><p>Quackity and Sapnap gave each other a knowing glance before Sapnap stepped up to Karl. "Karl, you are not fine. You've been over working yourself, and you need to take a break. I guarentee you if I walk into your office, I will count four or more cans of Monster on your desk. And I can also pretty much guarentee that you can't tell me the last time you ate. If you can prove me wrong on either of these things, then please feel free to." Sapnap stated before falling into silence, waiting patiently for Karl's answer. </p><p>Karl stuttered over his words, a small look of shame washing over his face as he realized he wasn't able to refute what Sapnap said. The blue-eyed boy glanced between Sapnap and Quackity with a small look of panic and guilt, though Quackity was quick to step in and wipe away those painful feelings.</p><p>"Karl, it's okay," Quackity assured softly, stepping up to stand next to Sapnap. "We just want to make sure you're okay, and to be okay, you have to take care of yourself. And if you aren't going to take care of yourself, then Sap and I are going to take care of you instead."</p><p>Karl's eyes welled with tears as he gave a small sniffle. "M'sorry. I just wan' my stream to be good. Didn' mean to make you guys upset. I did bad." The boy whispered out.</p><p>Quackity's expression softed as he gently cupped the boy's cheeks. "No no no, Karl, it's okay. We know you want your stream to be good, and it will be, it's going to be perfect!" Quackity assured softly. "You didn't do bad for working hard. You didn't upset us. We just want to make sure you feel good while working hard too." Quackity said, giving the boy a warm smile. "You've been pushing off your regression, haven't you, bub?" </p><p>Karl let out a small, choked whimper before he began fully sobbing. The boy was tired and hungry. He was overwhelmed by everything and nothing and he wasn't sure what he wanted to do in that moment. Karl could feel his knees wobble before his legs gave out entirely, though thankfully he felt a pair of arms catch him before he hit the ground. </p><p>Karl clutched onto the front of Sapnap's shirt and buried his face into Sapnap's neck. Karl could hear quiet conversation between Sapnap and Quackity before he felt himself being led off and carefully sat on the couch. Karl quickly clambered into Sapnaps lap and clung onto the man. Sapnap gently rocked the boy in a soothing manner, running his fingers through the slightly overgrown hair. </p><p>Sitting there comfortably, it only took another moment before Quackity approached the two boys again. Quackity gave a smile and set a small bundle of Karl's little gear next to the duo. "Why don't you get him situated while I go make him something to eat. Does that work?" Quackity asked, earning a nod from Sapnap. </p><p>"Yeah, of course. Thanks for getting his stuff." Sapnap said with a smile. </p><p>Quackity walked to the kitchen, and after another moment of just holding Karl, Sapnap spoke softly to the boy on his lap. "Hey cupcake, you feeling okay? You think you'd be okay with getting changed into some comfy clothes?" </p><p>Karl let out a soft whine before slowly pulling away from Sapnap, giving a nod. "Yeah, I can do dat." He mumbled softly.</p><p>Sapnap smiled softly and grabbed the soft pair of cartoon themed pajamas Quackity had picked out. "Do you need help? Or are you big enough to change alone."</p><p>Karl rubbed at his eyes and gently gripped onto the pajamas. "I can dos it, dada. I be back in a minute." Karl said softly before standing, making his way to the bathroom. </p><p>It was a few minutes later when Karl shuffled back out, now in his comfy clothes. Sapnap said nothing as Karl situated himself back into the boy's lap. Sapnap wrapped a fuzzy blanket around the two of them and handed Karl his favorite teddy bear. It was only a few moments later that Quackity walked out with a grilled cheese for each of them and a sippy cup of apple juice for Karl. </p><p>Karl perked up when he saw Quackity enter the room and quickly reached out for him. Quackity laughed softly and sat next to the duo and carefully handed Karl his grilled cheese and sippy cup. Karl happily began nibbling on the food, and knowing Karl was willingly feeding himself allowed the other two boys to relax and eat themselves.</p><p>It was a long night for all of them, but knowing that Karl was taking a break and finally letting himself relax made it well worth it. Plus, it would always be worth the trip to visit each other in person.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0057"><h2>57. Take a Nap, Sap // Pt. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Sapnap CG!Dream</p><p>So, Dream knew about littlespace. So, what? It just meant Sapnap finally got the caregiver he always wanted. It was just a bonus that George was clueless as ever.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>George had had his suspicions for quite a while now that Sapnap and Dream were in a relationship. Now, don't get him wrong, it didn't bother him that his friends were together; in fact, he was quite happy for them! What did bother him, however, was that they were trying to keep it hidden from him. How was he not supposed to be offended by that? He was their best friend! Why did they feel the need to hide something like that from him? Were they scared he would be unsupportive? Or were they just not ready to go public? If it were the latter, George truly believed they needed to do a better job at hiding it. Leaving the call the minute Sapnap called for Dream was not a good look if they were trying to hide their relationship. </p><p>Regardless, the three of them had planned a time for George to come down and visit them in person, and George had decided if they didn't tell him while on this trip, then he was going to confront his friends about it instead. </p><p>The trip came rather quickly, and before any of them truly had time to realize it, George was being forcefully embraced by his two clingy friends in the middle of the airport. Really and truly, George didn't mind. Despite George playing it off as though he hated physical contact because in reality, he did, he never really minded it when it came to Dream and Sapnap. They were the only exceptions. </p><p>"George you're here!" Sapnap cheered happily.</p><p>"Ha! George is taller than you!" Dream cackled out at the same time. </p><p>George's lips quirked up in amusement before he shrugged the two boys off of him, giving them both a warm smile, despite the teasing tone he used against them. "You're both absolutely ridiculous, you know that?"</p><p>Dream grinned and picked George's bags up for him before the older could protest, leaving no room for contradiction as they made their way out to Dream's car. "Yeah, but you love us, and you can't even deny it."</p><p>"Oh, I can deny it, and I will." George retorted softly. </p><p>By the time the boys had all arrived, jet lag was beginning to close in on George, but the man wasn't ready to go to bed yet. He wanted to actually spend time with his friends first. They had all settled on the couch, mindlessly playing video games as they chatted and caught up with each other about nothing and everything all at once. That was until Sapnap tugged on the sleeve of Dream's sweatshirt to catch the older's attention. </p><p>George watched with narrowed eyes as Dream looked over to Sapnap and watched as the younger boy gently tugged on his own ear. Dream's expression softened, and with a warm smile, Dream turned back to George. "Alright George, it's getting late. I think we're probably going to turn in for tonight. Besides, I'm sure you're pretty tired after the flight as well."</p><p>George felt frustration boil up inside of him until he couldn't control himself any longer. Before he knew what he was saying, George snapped at his friends. "Are you kidding me right now? This is unbelievable! I understand not wanting to tell the public, okay? But hiding your relationship from your best friend? Seriously? You think I haven't noticed how you suddenly drop anything and everything for Sapnap, or how you two are always running off with each other, whispering and giggling about god knows what? It's not cool, okay! You could have at least told me!" George spat out in frustration but stopped when he saw tears start to build in Sapnap's eyes.</p><p>Dream glanced at Sapnap and sighed softly, running his finger's through the boy's hair before opening his arms up to him. "C'mere, Panda." He murmured softly, turning to George once the boy had clambered into his lap and fully situated himself. "Okay George, you're right. We have been hiding something, and I'm sorry. But we aren't in a relationship. So just promise me you aren't going to freak out while I explain, yeah?" </p><p>George's eyebrows furrowed as he glanced between Sapnap and Dream in sheer confusion. "You aren't in a relationship? Then what the hell have you been-"</p><p>"Shush, George." Dream said promptly. "Let me explain it, and don't freak out." He said once again, earning a hesitant nod from George as the elder fell silent.</p><p>After getting the confirmation, Dream gave a nod and began gently bouncing Sapnap in his lap as he spoke. "Sapnap is a little. An age regressor. His mind reverts back to a younger age when he gets stressed or overwhelmed. It's not always a bad thing, sometimes he gets overwhelmed by good emotions, which is likely what happened tonight since you got here." Dream stated, looking to Sapnap for confirmation. </p><p>The boy stared at him with big doey eyes for just a moment before quickly nodding and giving a dopey grin. Dream hummed softly and nodded before continuing his explanation. "When Sap first moved in with me, he wasn't sleeping so well, and his body forced him to regress because of it. Most littles prefer to have someone that takes care of them while they feel small, so after I helped take care of them that night, we sort of just fell into a routine." Dream summed, giving George a warm smile. </p><p>George stared blankly at them in shock before speaking dumbly, "But, if you aren't in a romantic relationship, why do you just drop everything for him?"</p><p>Dream didn't seem all that bothered by the question, answering it without much hesitation. "I don't. I only drop what I'm doing for him when he's regressed. And I drop everything I'm doing because, for Sapnap, when he's little, he becomes very clingy and demanding. He likes to have all of the attention on him. It isn't the easiest to multitask while taking care of him." Dream explained, playfully bopping Sapnap on the nose, earning a small giggle from the boy. </p><p>George took a moment to attempt to process the information he had just been told before asking unsurely. "Um, how old is he then?"</p><p>Dream hummed softly. "He usually regresses anywhere between one and five, but seeing as he isn't being a total brat to us right now for not giving him all of our undivided attention, I would say he's probably a bit younger right now. Maybe between one and three? But if you want to know for sure you can ask him." Dream offered, allowing the little to mess with his fingers as they spoke. </p><p>Despite the hesitance, George decided to ask anyway, awkwardly attempting to get Sapnap's attention. "Um, hey Sap?" He asked, causing the boy to look over at him curiously. "How old are you right now?"</p><p>Sapnap sat still for a moment before holding up to fingers, then proceeded to put one down, only to put it back up. Sapnap pouted and gave Dream a frustrated look, and Dream only laughed when he got a similarly panicked look from George. Dream gently ran his fingers through Sapnap's hair to soothe the little and smiled at George. "It's alright, George. It just means he's between ages. He doesn't know exactly how old he is, but he's somewhere between one and two."</p><p>George nodded and visibly relaxed, though gave Dream a quizzical look. "Okay, Mr. Genius. How do you know so much about this then? Sapnap only moved in with you a few months ago. No way you learned everything so quickly."</p><p>Dream just gave a small smile and shrugged. "You're right. I've known for years. That's how I knew what to do when I found Sap regressed the first time."</p><p>"Years?" George said in shock, eyes going wide.</p><p>Dream smiled and nodded. "Drista." He said simply. "When I've had to take care of my sister for so long, you learn a thing or two."</p><p>"Drista regresses? Really? I would have never guessed that that was how you knew." George murmured.</p><p>"That's the point." Dream said with a small laugh. "Now, I have to get Sapnap a bottle so he'll actually sleep tonight. You can either join me, or you can head to bed. Up to you." Dream said as he stood. </p><p>Sapnap clutched onto Dream weakly, and with one hand reached out for George, grabbing in his general direction with a soft whine. George was tempted to just go to bed and let Dream take care of the younger since he knew what he was doing, but if that wasn't the cutest thing George had seen, he didn't know what was. And without much else coaxing, George was following Dream to the kitchen. </p><p>George very quickly learned what Dream meant by clingy. Sapnap refused to let Dream put him down, even if it was just to make his bottle. This led to Dream having to walk George through making it, which was really rather amusing because "a spoonful-ish" of sugar was not an actual measurement according to George. </p><p>Finally, the two had the bottle made and had settled into Sapnap's room. Sapnap had insisted on introducing George to Mr. Boo before bedtime, and while Dream helped Sapnap change into some more comfortable pajamas, George was nice enough to agree to get his pacifier and fluffy blanket out and ready to go. </p><p>By the time they had settled into Sapnap's bed, the little's eyes were beginning to droop, and the milk made his head feel warm and floaty. Dream held Sapnap against his side as the boy drank his bottle, and when he had finished it, George instinctively handed over the pacifier that had been on the nightstand next to him. </p><p>George may have been wrong about his friends being in a romantic relationship, but they were definitely in a relationship of some sort. Just a much more wholesome and loving one than George had expected. But hey, it could always be worse. George was just happy they told him, and they were happy their best friend accepted Sapnap for who he was.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0058"><h2>58. One Last Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Fundy CG!Ghostbur</p><p>Fundy hadn't expected Phil to say the things about him he did. Phil hadn't expected Fundy to take the things he said so seriously. Thank goodness Ranboo and Tubbo were able to think on their feet and knew exactly who to call to save the situation. </p><p>Warnings: Swearing, self-depreciation, mild depression</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fundy trailed quietly behind Phil, Tubbo, and Ranboo. He was excited to meet Michael, sure, but he wasn't so excited about having to spend so much time with other people. It had been a while now that he had felt as though the rest of the members didn't really like him. Well, realistically, it had been a while since everyone on the SMP liked each other. However, Fundy felt as though people had begun distancing themselves from him since the first election of L'Manberg when he chose Schlatt's side over his own father's. But could you truly blame him? Anyone would turn against a father that treated them so poorly in a situation like that. Fundy, though, felt as though the distancing and passive hatred people felt towards him had been getting worse since L'Manberg blew up once and for all, and this trip wasn't particularly helping with that. </p><p>Fundy felt fuzzy. He had since he met up with Phil earlier that day. Things between the two were tense, of course, they were. A mild hatred towards Phil radiated from Fundy for leaving him an orphan, and a brief awkwardness was returned from Phil for being an absentee grandfather. Yet those feelings were never directly expressed, nor were they ever acted upon. They were just left in the subtly of their interactions, and Fundy hated it. </p><p>Phil and Fundy met up with Ranboo and Tubbo. Phil was making jokes with the other two as Fundy followed quietly. He tried to partake in the conversation, he really did! But half of their conversation was at his expense, and Fundy wasn't particularly appreciating it. He truly did wish he had gotten to meet Michael alone. He wished Phil wasn't there with them, he wished he could just have a good time. He was friends with Tubbo and Ranboo at one point. Now they were giggling at all of Phil's jokes about him. Was he really that bad?</p><p>Walking into the cabin, they slowly made their way up the ladder and into the attic in which Michael's nursery was. The piglin creature was standing in the far corner of the room, standing on his tiptoes to try and peek out of the room. But when he heard his parent's voices, the boy made a b-line over to his parents.</p><p>Fundy and Phil were visibly confused. That was until Tubbo specified that Michael was their adopted son. Ranboo wore a wide grin as he introduced Michael to the other two. "Michael, this is your Grandfather?" Ranboo stated. "The question mark has to be pronounced of course." He followed up, earning a nod of agreement from Tubbo. "And your..." Ranboo fell quiet as he looked to Fundy, unsure of what Fundy technically qualified as.</p><p>"Cousin."</p><p>"Biological cousin?" </p><p>Fundy and Tubbo spoke at the same time. </p><p>"I think it's technically biological cousin." Tubbo pondered but earned a bewildered look from Fundy.</p><p>"Biological? You adopted him! Besides, I don't see it." Fundy stated, only to earn a snort from Phil.</p><p>"You're a fox that came from a fucking fish, Fundy. You can't say anything about that." Phil snided.</p><p>Fundy frowned to himself and looked away, not giving Phil a response. He understood where Phil was coming from, because truthfully, Phil was right. Wilbur had sex with a shapeshifter that preferred the form of a fish, and somehow, he was the result. He knew it didn't make sense. He didn't make sense, and everyone made sure he was aware of it. Sometimes Fundy wished he was never associated with his father. Or perhaps, he just wished his father was a better father. Either way, he could feel the reality of Phil's words hitting him and hitting him hard. He couldn't stop the tears before they came, and the fuzziness that was once just a soft buzzing in his head was now an overwhelming fog that was preventing him from thinking properly. He wanted to leave. He wanted to be left alone. He wanted to curl up under his blankets and cry until he felt better, or maybe just until he fell asleep. </p><p>"Yeah, you'rw wight." Fundy mumbled under his breath before shuffling back to the small trapdoor. "M'gonna go."</p><p>Ranboo looked at him in concern and gently bounced Michael on his hip. "Fundy, are you okay?" </p><p>Fundy couldn't find the words to respond, so he simply gave a nod. This, however, was enough for Tubbo to see his face and see the tears slowly running down his cheeks. "Fundy, you're crying," Tubbo said worriedly. </p><p>Fundy wasn't prepared to be called out on it, but the stress of it was enough to send Fundy spiraling. The boy collapsed to the floor, his body shaking with sobs. The other three in the room looked panicked. They glanced between each other, and when Phil gave an unsure shrug, Ranboo and Tubbo were quick to begin thinking of a plan. </p><p>After a couple of moments of whispering, Tubbo rushed out of the house, and Ranboo sat next to Fundy with Michael in his lap. "Fundy, what's wrong?" Ranboo asked softly.</p><p>"Nobody wikes me. E'wybody mean ta me. Jus' wanna have f'ends again." Fundy choked out in between his sobs.</p><p>Ranboo's expression softened and the teen rubbed small circles on the fox hybrid's back. "Fundy, I'm so sorry you feel that way. Tubbo and I never try to be mean to you, we love having you as a friend! So I'm so very sorry if you ever feel like we're being mean to you." Ranboo soothed softly.</p><p>The teen may not have the best idea of what was happening to their friend, but he knew Fundy seemed inconsolable and sensitive, much like Michael sometimes got. So he attempted to use the same techniques on Fundy that he did on Michael, and luckily, it seemed to be working. </p><p>Fundy gave a small sniffle and rubbed at his eyes with his fists. "Mean dat?'</p><p>Ranboo hummed softly and nodded. "Oh, absolutely!"</p><p>Two voices began sounding throughout the house, one sounding light and confused, the other was a bit frustrated and annoyed. But when the two people came into the nursery, it made much more sense as to why. </p><p>"Why did you summon me, Tubbo? I haven't been in the overworld in so long. I thought people here didn't want me!"</p><p>Tubbo huffed and dragged the ditzy man into the room behind him before gesturing quickly to Fundy. "This is why I summoned you," Tubbo said bluntly before moving to sit next to Ranboo, the taller boy carefully setting Michael in the other teen's lap. </p><p>Ghostbur spun around and hummed before finally spotting Fundy. The minute his eyes landed on the boy, who was still mid-breakdown, Ghostbur's entire demeanor seemed to shift. No longer did the Ghost seem happy and flightly, nor did he seem excitable and giggly. Instead, the ghost seemed to become solemn and concern. Ghostbur slowly floated over to Fundy and sat on his knees in front of the boy. The cold shiver that ran through Fundy's body at the Ghost's touch was enough to force the boy to look up, and when he did, he choked out another sob.</p><p>"Papa!" Fundy cried out, launching himself into his dead father's arms. </p><p>Ghostbur quickly embraced the little, holding the boy close in his embrace as he gently shushed the sobbing boy. "Shhh, you're okay my little fox. Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Ghostbur asked softly, gently running his fingers through Fundy's hair.</p><p>Fundy buried his face in Ghostbur's neck. "E'body bein' meanies n' don' wike me. Wanna have fwiends n' don' n' wanna have papa back but he gone."</p><p>Ghostbur gently rocked Fundy in his arms, soothing the boy into small sniffles and occasional hiccups. "Papa is here now, my little fox. I'm not going anywhere. And if people don't want to be friends with you, then they're surely missing out on so, so much. Because you, kiddo, are absolutely wonderful." He murmured softly. </p><p>Fundy whimpered softly and peeked up at Ghostbur. "Chu weally think?" </p><p>Ghostbur smiled and playfully poked Fundy's nose. "I know so, little fox. Now, let's go home so we can rest and plan for a big day tomorrow, okay?"</p><p>Fundy gave a small nod, but even after a few moments refused to let go of Ghostbur. Ghostbur took this as his sign to carefully pick his son up and hold him close. Ghostbur mouthed a small thank you to Tubbo and Ranboo who gave a smile and nod in return before heading out. </p><p>Fundy began quietly knawing on the sleeve of his shirt, and without much hesitation, Ghostbur pulled out a piece of blue and allowed the boy to chew on that until they could get home and get him a pacifier and bottle. Fundy was struggling, and Ghostbur could see that. But now that he was there, he was going to use his time to prove to his boy that he truly did care, and he was going to be the father Fundy had always needed him to be.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0059"><h2>59. Stuck in Between</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Karl CG!Ranboo</p><p>Karl gets trapped in the Inbetween. Beginning to forget himself and not sure of who to follow, he quickly finds the once comforting place to be scary and unforgiving. Luckily, a familiar but surprising face shows up to help him out. </p><p>Warnings: Angst, derealization, second-hand manipulation, disassociation, panic attack, regret</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is just a short message/warning to let you know that this one-shot is lore-based, as well as based on the theory that Ranboo is connected to the Inbetween. If you are not familiar with Karl's lore, this one-shot is going to be incredibly confusing and disorienting (possibly triggering), and I will suggest that you do not read it unless you are okay with spoilers/are comfortable with the trigger warnings. This is probably one of the most intense stories I have written, along with Old Habits Die Hard // Pt. 4 for those of you that read that, it's just intense in a different manner. </p><p>Anyways, you have been warned, please read this one with caution, and enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Karl stared blankly at the tree in front of him. He sat on the swing set that he had become incredibly familiar with as time had passed. How much time had passed? A few days? A few weeks, months? Karl wasn't sure anymore. Slightly greyed-out versions of himself walked around behind him, and Karl pondered if they could see him as he could see them. None of them acknowledged him if they could, and Karl wasn't sure whether he should be upset by that or not. He wanted to talk to someone, anyone, even if it was only himself.</p><p>Karl paused. Wasn't he technically already talking to himself through his thoughts? And couldn't he talk to the books? Sometimes they would talk back. Sometimes he would do things he knew he shouldn't just to get the books to respond to him. Karl looked around in a daze. Everything around him so was pretty. So, so pretty. White and pristine, decorated to perfection, the definition of heaven. The books told him he was safe here. He just had to stay on the path and he would be okay. But if that were true, why was he stuck there now? Why couldn't he go home?</p><p>The diaries told him if he stayed for too long he would begin to lose himself. The diaries said the books lied; that the Inbetween was an evil, evil place meant to hold him there and make him a puppet. But as a warm fuzziness seeped into his brain, Karl could only think about how pretty and safe he felt in his surroundings. </p><p>He couldn't really think straight. He hadn't been able to think straight in a while. He had friends- or, at least he thought he did. He could remember Dream, but Dream was a bad guy! He wasn't a friend, he was a bad, bad man. And- and Sapnap! Yes, Sapnap, his loving fiance. The man that always held him when he was sad and scared. Oh, how he wished he was there with him now. And his other fiance...was there another fiance? Karl couldn't remember. Perhaps he was just making things up again. It was rather lonely in the Inbetween, and he often found himself daydreaming up people he knew didn't exist. </p><p>Sometimes he dreamed of a Kingdom made of mushrooms. He gave it the name Pulu Pulu! It made him feel all safe when he went there. He had built it with Sapnap, and his imaginary friend named Gogy. He even had a little library and everything! Sometimes Karl wished Pulu Pulu was real, and that he could live in a little mushroom house with his friends and not have to worry about a thing. </p><p>With a small sniffle, Karl wiped the tears that were beginning to swell in his eyes and looked up towards the top of the tower to his right. There was a portal, all locked away behind metal bars. The diaries said he needed to go through there and he would be all okay, but it seemed so far away and so scary. Karl didn't know if he should trust the diaries or the books. </p><p>Almost as if on cue, a small, white shimmer caught his eye, and next to the tree, as a new book appeared. Karl stood and stumbled over to it clumsily before opening it up excitedly. It was like a new present! Reading it wasn't the easiest, but he could do it, he was determined. He was a big boy after all. </p><p>Hi Karl. I can see you've really taken a liking to that swing set. That's good! Remember, the Inbetween is somewhere for you to find comfort and peace, not to be afraid of. Finding a place you like here is an improvement. </p><p>Remember, don't stray from the path. I have seen you visit restricted areas of the castle and must advise you not to do this. The Inbetween is a safe place for all time travelers, but only if the rules of the castle are followed.</p><p>Don't break the rules, Karl. :]</p><p>Karl could feel his breathing pick up as he read the book slowly. The book tumbled to the floor with a loud thunk, and for the first time since he had been there, Karl did feel afraid. He wasn't breaking the rules. He was good, he had been good! Why did the book say he was breaking the rules? </p><p>Karl rubbed at his eyes as panic set in. He wanted out, he wanted to go home. Was there even a home to go back to? Was he going to end up like every other greyed-out Karl around him? Trapped in the Inbetween, forever wondering, looking for an escape that simply didn't exist with a mind that had been so fragmented it was practically gone?</p><p>Karl could scream. His mind felt heavy and bogged down by an overwhelming fuzziness that was bound to take over, but before he could give in, he saw a small red glow coming from behind the flower pots. In an act of desperation, Karl shoved the flowerpots aside and grabbed the diary that had decided to make an appearance at just the right time. Karl rubbed the tears in his eyes to clear his vision before quickly reading through the pages presented to him.</p><p>Find a place to hide. One of our previously established rooms where it can't see you. I'm coming to get you, but you need to hide so I can come to get you before it gets you first. Be fast, Karl. If it gets to you before I do, you're going to end up trapped there like the others. Be patient, I will be there soon.</p><p>Karl felt like crying in relief, but he had something he needed to do. Karl clutched the diary close to his chest and looked around frantically before sprinting off. Karl stumbled over his own feet, his head was spinning in fear as he slowly took notice of the other Karl's beginning to stare at him, watching as he ran. No. Karl refused to become one of them. He needed out, he needed to go home. Karl approached the large tree that stood center of the castle, and without a second thought, dove into the pond, swimming down to the hidden room beneath the tree. </p><p>Karl climbed into the little hidey-hole and curled up in the corner of the room. He sat in silence for several minutes, just trying to catch his breath, but it wasn't long before the gravity of the situation hit him and the tears began to fall. Tears turned into sobs, and soon, all you could hear was Karl's soft weeping echoing off the empty walls. </p><p>Karl wasn't sure how long he had stayed like that. He had no concept of time anymore; did time even matter? Did people even notice he was gone, did his friends miss him? He wanted Sappy and his stuffies, and he wanted to curl up and take a nap like he always had, but he couldn't. He needed to wait until he was safe again. Would he be safe again?</p><p>A soft hand resting on Karl's shoulder was enough to elicit a scream of fear from the boy. The hand jerked back in surprise, but when Karl snapped his gaze upwards to look at the perpetrator, he could only stare; his mind desperately working to figure out who was in front of him. </p><p>"Boo?" Karl whispered out after several minutes of silence, giving a small sniffle after. </p><p>Ranboo's expression softened, the teen giving Karl a saddened smile. The Inbetween was really affecting his memory, and as Ranboo knew, the memory loss was something Karl was likely going to struggle with even after they left. "Yeah Karl, it's me. Come on, we're getting out of here." Ranboo said softly. </p><p>Karl whimpered softly and reached out for Ranboo desperately, speaking in a voice just above a whisper. "How you know where I was?" He questioned softly. </p><p>Ranboo picked the shorter boy up without much thought and hummed softly. That's something we'll have to talk about when you feel more like yourself, and when we aren't here anymore, okay?" Ranboo murmured softly before teleporting them out of the room. </p><p>Karl nodded a bit before saying hesitantly. "It bad here. Bad n' mean. Wanna go home. How long I been gone?" </p><p>Ranboo began silently walking, holding the little close as he quietly maneuvered around the castle, seemingly knowing exactly where to go. "You've been here for almost two weeks, Karl. We've all been incredibly worried about you. Especially Sapnap." Ranboo responded softly, glancing at the boy to make sure he was okay when he didn't get a response. </p><p>Karl sat in silence, his head swirling. Two weeks. Two weeks trapped in a castle alone. That was so long and...and he just wanted Sapnap back. Karl could feel himself beginning to cry again, but he didn't try to stop it, and Ranboo didn't tell him to stop. Instead, the taller boy gently rubbed his back and rocked him in a comforting manner, soothing the boy as best as he could. </p><p>Ranboo didn't mind the boy's blubbering. He knew how Karl was feeling. It was intense, and overwhelming, something he never wished to experience again. Silently, Ranboo stepped up to the portal Karl had once only looked at and spoke. </p><p>"Karl, once we go through here, we can't come back. Are you okay with that?" Ranboo questioned softly.</p><p>Karl nodded, clutching onto Ranboo tighter than he previously had. "Please. Wanna go home, Boo. Don' wanna be here no more."</p><p>Ranboo nodded and silently took one last look at the castle around them, silently praying it would be the last time he had to come back before stepping through the portal. The world around them spun and Karl hid his face in Ranboo's shoulder to keep himself from getting even dizzier than he already felt. He felt Ranboo step out of the portal, and once they were steady, Karl slowly peeked up from Ranboo's shoulder. Though, what he saw, he truly didn't like.</p><p>Dark shades of black and red surrounded them in sickening swirls. Dark plants with small thorns on them lined the walkway, and even though it was raining all around them, Karl felt no water. A large black victorian looking building stood proudly in front of them, a building that Karl would dare to say was larger than the Inbetween's castle. </p><p>Karl let out a soft whimper and hesitantly peered around the world that surrounded them, though Ranboo seemed completely unphased by it. "Where is we, Boo?" Karl whispered out, trying to keep his voice calm, though failing miserably. </p><p>"The Other Side," Ranboo said calmly as he made his way into the building. </p><p>The inside of the building was no better than the outside. It was darkly lit, completely black walls accented by reds that danced along with the architecture. It made Karl feel unsettled. Yet, he felt at peace in the Inbetween, and look where that got him. "Wha' we doin' here? I's scawy."</p><p>Ranboo exhaled softly and looked down at Karl. The two made eye contact, and for a long time, neither spoke. That was until Ranboo broke the silence. And what he told Karl was all he knew to be the truth. </p><p>"This is the only way we can get home, Karl."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0060"><h2>60. To be a Father // Pt. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Phil CG!Ghostbur</p><p>Phil had to kill his own son. How do you cope with the trauma of such a thing?</p><p>Warnings: Angst, depression, guilt, self-blame, eating disorder</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Things hadn't gotten better for Phil. Far from it actually. It had been nearly a week, and Phil found himself unable to become big again. Occasionally he teetered in an uncomfortable fuzziness that left him between headspaces. That was where he was currently, as a matter of fact. Some strange fuzziness that left him feeling independent yet too small for comfort and he hated it. He hated it and god he just wanted to be an adult again. Why couldn't he just be an adult again?</p><p>Phil could his stomach-churning, yet he knew nothing would happen. He couldn't remember the last time he ate, whether that be because of self-punishment or because he felt too small to make himself something to eat. Either way, it didn't matter. The sickening feeling of throwing up was beginning to overwhelm him, yet he only found himself dry-heaving when he actually tried. </p><p>Phil had lost weight. His ribs were beginning to show, and it was harder and harder to support himself anytime he moved from the corner of his living room, so he simply didn't. He knew it was bad for him. He knew he needed to do something, anything to make himself better, but he simply couldn't. How could he? Wouldn't it be rude to just let himself move on? Especially since Wilbur was only dead because of him?</p><p>Phil was out of it. He couldn't formally recognize his surrounding, nor could he really form a cohesive thought. Everything simply felt so drab, and he hadn't seen another person in weeks now. So when he heard someone chirp out his name in a perky manner, it startled the man. It startled him enough that he began panicking and looking around in fear. Though when he saw the owner of the voice, he wasn't quite sure what to make of it.</p><p>"Hello, Dad! Techno told me he hasn't seen you in a while and that I should come to check on you! So here I am!" Ghostbur chirped out, floating over to Phil. </p><p>Phil stared at Wilbur with wide, teary eyes. Ghostbur wore a small, oblivious smile, and tilted his head in confusion when he saw the tears in Phil's eyes. "Wil?" Phil eventually whispered out.</p><p>Ghostbur hummed and plopped down next to Phil. "Yeah! But I'm a ghost now, isn't that neat?"</p><p>At the reminder of his son's death, Phil burst out sobbing again. Even in his awkward, little headspace, he could tell something was different about Wilbur. The boy seemed too..happy. Too optimistic for his son, and Phil hated it. Phil hated how he knew something was wrong with his boy because of something he did and he wanted it to stop. He wanted it to stop so fucking badly.</p><p>Ghostbur frowned deeply, a sudden realization that something was really and truly wrong. "Dad, what's wrong? Are you okay?"</p><p>Phil had slipped. The world felt so big and his emotions felt like too much. "Don' want you dead, Wilby. Didn' wanna kill you, jus' wan' you back." Phil choked out softly between sobs. </p><p>Ghostbur's entire demeanor shifted. The ghost shifted closer to his dad and rested an icy hand on the boy's knee. "Dad, it's okay," He said softly, biting his lip as he recalled Quackity telling him he had asked to be killed. "I asked you to kill me. You did what I asked, I'm not mad at you, or upset. It's okay." He assured softly.</p><p>"But I shouldn' hab killed you! You'we my son! Didn' wanna kill you, m'sowwy!" He cried out, unable to hold himself back any longer. </p><p>Ghostbur cooed softly and gently wrapped an arm around his father, pulling the man into his side. "Dad, how old are you? You're acting like Tommy does when he regresses." Ghostbur said softly, looking down at his dad.</p><p>Phil hid his face in Ghostbur's side, hiding the fact that his face was flushed in embarrassment. Hesitantly, Phil held up two fingers. His hand was trembling, and as Ghostbur gently pulled him closer, he could feel the older man's ribs jabbing into him. Ghostbur frowned softly and gently smoothed a hand through his hair. </p><p>"Have you been eating, bub?" Ghostbur asked softly, not all that pleased at the guilty glance he received from the boy. "Aw, you need to eat, take care of yourself," Ghostbur said softly, though there was no tone of accusation or disappointment in his voice. </p><p>"M'sowwy, but I can't. Can't make mysewf." Phil mumbled.</p><p>"That's okay! I'll just have to do it for you!" Ghostbur chirped out, giving Phil a warm smile. "Let's start by getting you a bath, okay? It doesn't look like you've had one of those in a while, am I right?"</p><p>Phil sniffled and nodded just slightly. Ghostbur hummed softly and stood, gently lifting Phil with him. Phil clung onto Ghostbur tightly as the ghost carried him to the bathroom. Ghostbur was quick but gentle helping him get cleaned and changed into a more comfortable pair of pajamas, which truthfully, Phil appreciated. Phil rubbed at his eyes as Ghostbur carried him to the kitchen. </p><p>He shuddered as he was set on the kitchen counter and whined softly. Ghostbur let out a soft laugh and flashed the little a grin. "Don't worry, bub! I'm just getting you something to eat." Ghostbur assured as he began heating up some milk. </p><p>Phil absent-mindedly knawed at the collar of his shirt as Ghostbur worked around the kitchen, filling a small glass bottle, that Phil would usually put a potion in, with angel milk. Phil quickly reached out for Ghostbur again, and the ghost comfortably picked him back up. He carried the man to his bedroom and settled down in the bed with him. </p><p>Phil curled up into Ghostbur's side and relaxed contently. Ghostbur quietly fed Phil as the boy's eyes began to droop. It took a while, and a couple of breaks here and there before the little could finish his bottle, but Ghostbur didn't mind, he had all the time in the world. </p><p>It was a few minutes after Phil finished his bottle that Ghostbur heard a soft voice speak to him. "Sowwy fo' bein' bad, Wilby," Phil mumbled softly, burying his face in Ghostbur's side. </p><p>Ghostbur smiled softly and gently rubbed his back. "It's okay, little one. I'm not angry, and you weren't bad. Don't beat yourself up over this, okay?"</p><p>"M'kay..." Phil mumbled softly before letting himself relax.</p><p>Ghostbur hummed softly to Phil as the little let his dead son lull him to sleep. Phil was far from okay. Quite the opposite actually. But with Ghostbur at his side, taking care of him and assuring him it was okay, Phil just might be able to get better.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0061"><h2>61. How Could You do This?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Dream CG!Puffy</p><p>Puffy finally visits her duckling in prison, but it's not all fun and games between them anymore.</p><p>Warnings: Angst, yelling, disappointed CG, abandonment</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Puffy stared silently at the slowly lowering wall of lava before her. She couldn't believe she was here. She didn't know why she was here. after all the time she had spent avoiding this place, she somehow found herself within the prison walls, staring at the boiling lava as if it were somehow mocking her for giving in and coming to visit. Why couldn't she just stay away? He wasn't worth her time. He didn't deserve her sympathy, her remorse; yet she couldn't help but feel a slight ping of guilt every time she thought about all the excuses she had made for not visiting her own child. In reality, she knew she had only avoided it because she was ashamed. </p><p>A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder, and Puffy looked back to see Sam giving her a soft look. It was one she knew too well, one she gave out too often. One of a concerned and caring friend. If anyone knew what she was going through, certainly it would be Sam. She knew Sam would fall apart at the seems if Tommy did something bad enough to deserve being sent to prison for life, so the sympathy from her friend was rather comforting. </p><p>"Puffy, you don't have to do this. You don't owe him anything just because he's your child. He gave up that right when he tore up the nation." Sam said softly, justifying her in her thinking, even if they both knew she needed this for her own sanity. </p><p>"I know. But I need to do this Sam. Not for him, but for myself. I need to understand. To understand why he did all of this. I thought I raised him better, but I guess not." Puffy spoke out softly, forcing herself to straighten up as the lava lowered completely and left a wide gap between her and the prison cell.</p><p>"I know you do." He said softly and gave a small smile. "The minute you're done, call my name. I'll get you out of there." He assured softly. </p><p>Puffy nodded and stepped up to the block Sam told her to stand on. Silently, she shuffled along with the platform as it slowly moved over to the cell. Once she stepped off the platform, Sam informed her to wait until the lava was down and the small barrier between her and the cell went down. </p><p>Anxiety ate away at Puffy as she stood silently in wait. What would he say to her being there? Did he even want to see her? Was he going to be the one to reject her? She wasn't quite sure. Though, maybe that would be for the best. Rejection meant she could stop feeling guilty for no longer loving her son. </p><p>Puffy was startled by the noise the barrier made when it dropped, but when she peered into the cell, she didn't see Dream at his desk like everyone else had claimed he was usually at. No, the boy was curled up in the corner of his bed, knees tucked to his chest, face buried within his knees. Puffy unsurely stepped forward and cleared her throat. The boy's head snapped up, and his expression quickly changed from annoyed to hopeful causing Puffy to feel that familiar sense of guilt. </p><p>"Mama?" Dream murmured softly. "What are you doing here? Everyone told me you didn't want to come to visit me."</p><p>Puffy cleared her throat uncomfortably and shifted her weight from foot to foot as she stared at the ground. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she softly spoke, though as she glanced up at Dream, she could see the hope fade from his expression with each word. "I didn't."</p><p>"Oh." Dream responded softly, shifting a bit on his bed. "Why did you come then?" </p><p>Puffy took a deep breath before slowly speaking, shifting her gaze entirely so her focus was now on her son. "I needed answers, Dream. Why did you do it? Why did you hurt those people...why did you hurt Tommy? I...I thought I raised you to be good, I thought I raised you to know better." Puffy breathed out, her voiced cracking towards the end. </p><p>Dream let out a small whine and uncurled himself from his position on the bed. "I am a good boy, mama! I was trying to do good things! Nobody will believe me, but I didn't start the bad things, Tommy did! Wilbur blew up L'Manburg! Tommy started the war over trying to get back the discs that he gave me! I didn't do nothin' bad, mama, I swear!" Dream pleaded softly, wanting nothing more than to make his own mother proud of him. </p><p>Puffy looked at him with clear irritation and huffed. "You forced Tubbo to exiled Tommy, his best friend. You stole Tommy's stuff and blew it up. You blew up the community house and then blamed it on him! You had a vault with a hallway meant to keep trophies of things people cared about! How am I supposed to believe you were trying to do good?"</p><p>"I was! I was, I was, I was! People were bein' mean and out of control! I was just tryin' to make the nation what it was supposed to be originally. Before L'Manburg, before Tommy and his dumb discs, but no one wanted to work with me to do that! So I had to do it all alone and now everyone finks I'm a villain cuz of it!"</p><p>"Because you are a villain, Dream!" Puffy said harshly, causing the cell to fall silent. </p><p>Dream stared at Puffy in hurt and shock, tears slowly beginning to roll down his cheeks as they sat in silence. Puffy could feel the tension slowly rising between them as she slowly realized that may not have been the best thing to say, but truly, there was no taking it back now. </p><p>"You really think that?" He whispered out.</p><p>Puffy stared at Dream for a long moment. Thoughts swirled around in her head, possibilities of what she could reply with, what she should reply with to fix the situation; but what good would that do any of them? Puffy came here for closure, and that's what she was going to leave with. </p><p>"Yes. Heros don't manipulate. Good guys don't kill and steal for their own gain. You are not the good guy of anybody's story, Dream. You are the villain to everybody. Including myself."</p><p>Puffy slowly made her way to the door Sam would lead her out of, ignoring the small whimper Dream immitted. What was done was done, and she needed to move on. Calling for Sam, Puffy slowly made her way out of the prison cell, ignoring the small, desperate apologies Dream pleaded after her. She got her closure. She didn't need to pretend anymore.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0062"><h2>62. Expensive Mistakes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG: None</p><p>"Well, then you can't exactly blame me can you? Trusting me was your mistake, to begin with."</p><p>Warnings: Abuse, manipulation, arguing, trauma, (mild) panic attack</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy stared in horror at the tall man approaching him. He slowly backed away as the hooded figure continued to advance towards him. The snow crunching beneath his feet was deafening, and Tommy swore he could hear his heart beating in his ears. He couldn't see the person approaching him, but he didn't need to. He knew who it was. There was only one person that would come to Techno's cabin in the middle of the night with the knowledge that Techno was going to be away for a few days. </p><p>"Tommy." </p><p>That voice. That voice echoed around in Tommy's mind, a sickly sweet tone masking the cruel intentions he knew it carried. Tommy could feel his breath hitch. Where was Techno? Techno always managed to show up at just the right time. He somehow always managed to protect the boy from the man that caused him so much pain for so many months. Yet deep down, Tommy knew Techno wasn't coming. </p><p>He could feel the impending sense of dread and fear washing over him in thick waves that fogged his mind over and made him forget how to breathe. Would it be possible to shrink away and disappear into nothingness? Tommy didn't respond. He couldn't respond. He forgot how words worked, forgot how to make his brain function properly. Perhaps ignoring the situation wasn't the best plan, because the following words were spoken with a much harsher tone.</p><p>"Tommy. It isn't very nice to ignore a friend." The man seethed out, leaning forward until their faces were just mere inches apart. </p><p>Tommy felt his breath hitch as he came face to face with a cold, porcelain mask he was all too familiar with. Emotionless black holes that served as eyes stared him down, a scribbled-on smile caused him to feel uneasy and nauseous. "W-we...we aren't friends, Dream. We never were. What do you want?" Tommy muttered back, fighting the urge to hug himself in fear of appearing weak. </p><p>Dream threw his head back and laugh a laugh that made Tommy's stomach churn. "Tommy, am I not allowed to just pay my friend a visit? After all, you are in exile. I figured you might want some...company."</p><p>Tommy could feel his blood run cold as he unsurely glanced up at Dream. "I don't need your damn company, Dream. I came to Techno for a reason. You and I both know that."</p><p>"See, that's where the problem lies, Tommy. You came to Techno. You ran away. You escaped your exile. I can't have that, now can I?"</p><p>"Why the fuck not?" Tommy hissed out. "I'm not hurting anybody! I'm living in Technoblade's basement to try and avoid everyone! I'm out of the way, just like you wanted!"</p><p>"That's where you're wrong. I can't keep an eye on you when you're with Techno, which is why I need you back on your little island with me. Or...I can just kill you." Dream stated, a smirk evident in his tone. "Your choice, Tommy."</p><p>"Like hell, you will! I'm not going back to that stupid island! I hated it there! I hate you!" Tommy screeched out. </p><p>Dream leaned against a nearby tree and simply looked over to Tommy. The man was acting far too calm in this situation for Tommy's liking and it was truly bothering him. He wanted Dream to be angry. He wanted the man to get annoyed and frustrated, he wanted to make him feel something that resembled the pain Dream constantly put him through. </p><p>"You're being a brat, Tommy. Knock it off. Now." Dream warned lowly. </p><p>Tommy could feel his breathing become irregular again. His brain seemed to shut off, a small buzzing swarmed his brain, and for a long moment Tommy couldn't figure out if the buzzing was an oncoming panic attack or his brain wanting so desperately to regress. Perhaps it was both, but regardless of which it was, he wanted neither. </p><p>"You're a monster! How can you do shit like this?" Tommy choked out, giving Dream an unstable glare as tears built up in his eyes. </p><p>Dream slowly took his mask off and narrowed his eyes at Tommy. The boy felt his heart plummet. He had only seen Dream without his mask on a few times, yet every time Dream became serious enough to take it off, Tommy knew he was in deep trouble. </p><p>"That's the problem, Tommy. You don't understand. You don't understand that you caused this. You brought all of this onto yourself because you couldn't keep your mouth shut and move on from a deal that had already been done. Don't act like this is because of me." Dream stated, his voice calm, but the tone low and threatening; taunting Tommy to say something to challenge him. </p><p>Tommy felt his knees give out, and suddenly snow was soaking through his jeans as tears stains chilled his face. "I trusted you!" Tommy screeched out through small sobs. </p><p>Dream paused and looked at Tommy for a long moment in silence before finally speaking. "Well then you can't exactly blame me, can you? Trusting me was your mistake, to begin with."</p><p>Tommy could feel his body tremble with uncertainty as he stared up at Dream with wide, unbelieving eyes. Dream's lips twitched up into a small smirk as he leaned over the boy, looking down on the broken boy. "This is how you belong. Broken and on the ground beneath me. You're no hero, Tommy. You're just a kid. A pathetic kid that doesn't know when to stop. There's a fine, fine line between heroism and stubbornness. I suggest you learn it." Dream berated as he straightened himself back up. "I expect to see you back on that island tomorrow. If I don't, we're going to have issues." Dream stated before making his way back off into the night.</p><p>Tommy stared blankly after Dream. His brain had shut off, he was too far gone. He had to go back, he couldn't let Techno get hurt, Techno was too nice to him. Yet when he tried to move, he couldn't. His legs didn't seem to want to work, and so he just sat in the snow, sobbing and babbling incoherently to himself. He couldn't form words, he couldn't find his way back into the cabin. He was cold and scared, and he felt useless. He wanted Techie to hold him and tell him he would keep him safe like he always did, but Techno wasn't there, and he wouldn't be until morning. </p><p>Until then, he was stuck alone, in the open woods that surrounded Techno's cabin, slowly letting the newly falling snow cover him as he waited for his big brother to come home.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0063"><h2>63. Dancy-Dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Foolish CG!Puffy</p><p>Foolish didn't think Puffy was going to get home so early, so he certainly wasn't expecting her to catch him doing his little dance; but what he found embarrassing, she found adorable.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Foolish was tucked away in Puffy's house waiting for the woman to get home. She had always told the boy he could come to her if he was feeling little, and unfortunately for Foolish, the boy had woken up feeling rather small that day. So even though the woman wasn't home when he arrived there that morning, Foolish took Puffy's invitation as an initiative to let himself in. So now, he sat on her couch, snacking on some of her crackers. </p><p>That was until he got bored, however. Foolish had never been particularly good with the whole "sitting still" thing, but it simply wasn't something he could help! He liked running around, and dancing, and playing with whoever would participate. But he didn't think that was such a bad thing. He had a way of making absolutely everyone feel included when he could, and most found it to be a very sweet thing. </p><p>Foolish stood and began wandering Puffy's house in search of something to do. He pulled the hoodie of his shark onesie over his head and paused when he spotted Puffy's jukebox. The boy gasped happily and rushed over to her disc collection. He knew it was best to wait for Puffy to get home, but he wanted to dance! And he knew how to be careful, so he was! He carefully shuffled through the fragile discs until he found the one he was looking for. It was a disc Puffy had made special for Foolish and was labeled 'Foolish's Dance Mix'. </p><p>Foolish let out a happy squeal and quickly placed the disc in the jukebox, pausing until a familiar tune began to play throughout the house. A wide grin spread on the boy's face as he began to wiggle his arms and jump on beat to the song. Sure, his movements may not have been the cleanest, or really even good, but it didn't matter. He was having fun, and he knew the dance by heart! He did it every day, big or small! </p><p>Foolish was so caught up in stumbling his way through his dance that he hadn't noticed someone else in the room until he heard a small laugh. Foolish instantly stopped his movements and whipped around to face Puffy, his cheeks going bright red in embarrassment. Foolish opened his mouth in a small attempt to defend himself, but Puffy cut him off before he had to. </p><p>"Aw, Foolish, that was adorable," She cooed softly, causing Foolish to avoid her gaze in embarrassment once more. "Do you feel small today, my duckling?" </p><p>Foolish perked a bit and nodded, seemingly forgetting about the embarrassment he had felt just moments prior as he shuffled to Puffy and nuzzled himself against her. </p><p>Puffy smiled and gently wrapped her arms around him. "Sorry I was gone. Sam asked me to go over and discuss some adult things with him. But we don't have to worry about that right now, okay? Why don't you teach me how to do your little dance!" Puffy stated, giving Foolish a little grin.</p><p>Foolish gave a small giggle and nodded before pulling away from Puffy, scurrying back to the jukebox. He restarted the disc before beginning to do the dance, but this time, with Puffy. His caregiver stood at his side, attempting to mimic the little's movements, even if she couldn't really tell what the movements were. When the song was over, the two fell into a fit of giggles, Foolish once again nuzzling up against Puffy. The older didn't mind, keeping the little close as they continued to dance into the late afternoon when Puffy decided they needed to take a break so the little could eat. </p><p>Luckily, Foolish didn't complain. The boy had never been particularly whiney, as long as he was being entertained in some way, he was rather good. As the duo made their way to the kitchen, Puffy listened intently as Foolish ranted about the ocean and simply how cool sharks were because "they had cool looking teeth". </p><p>Foolish stayed right at Puffy's side as she made the boy a bowl of mac and cheese, something she had learned very quickly was Foolish's favorite. When the food was ready, she sat on the couch with Foolish and allowed the boy to curl against her. Foolish clutched his sippy cup of juice close and sat contently as Puffy fed him. Sure, she knew Foolish could feed himself, but she also saw nothing wrong with occasionally spoiling the little. Besides, it would be easier than having to clean him up after. </p><p>As Puffy was feeding Foolish, she began to notice the boy's eyes drooping. A small, content smile came across her face as she continued her motions of feeding him. The dancing had clearly tired the boy out, which wasn't entirely a bad thing. If Puffy could name one thing that Foolish made genuinely difficult, it would be nap time. She knew it wasn't his fault, he was just energetic, and often times she found them fighting when it came to taking naps. Though as he finished his last few bites of macaroni and drank the last bit of his milk, Puffy noticed the little was hardly conscious anymore. </p><p>Puffy leaned forward and gently set the dishes on the coffee table, she could deal with those later after all. She leaned back and gently ran her hands through the boy's fingers who hummed happily. The boy's eyes opened lazily to look up at Puffy and gave a small smile. </p><p>"Ni ni, mama." Foolish murmured softly before closing his eyes again.</p><p>Puffy smiled contently to herself and pressed a gentle kiss to the boy's forehead. "Goodnight, duckling. Rest well." She said softly</p><p>Puffy leaned back into the couch, and closed her own eyes, deciding to rest peacefully with her little.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0064"><h2>64. Business Friendly</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Ranboo CG!Tommy</p><p>Tommy and Ranboo get into a fight, but when Tommy takes it a bit too far and it causes the little to slip, Tommy quickly takes control and opts to care for the boy instead.</p><p>Warnings: Fighting, anxiety, swearing (all very mild)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Screams and shouts echoed off the hotel walls loud enough that anyone within the vicinity could hear. Everyone knew exactly who was fighting. In fact, it wasn't uncommon for the two to fight, because despite being friends, there was always an underlying tension the had settled between the two. It was expected, really. For once, no one held it against Tommy for being angry with Tubbo. The boy got married behind his best friend's back and adopted a son. He was living his life as if nothing happened while Tommy was being tortured in prison with Dream, and from Tommy's perspective, he had lost his friend to a forgetful man that they barely knew. </p><p>Ranboo wasn't much better. He liked Tommy, he really did. He always felt bad after fighting with the boy, but he always did it in an act of defense. He knew Tommy was angry, and Ranboo knew Tommy had the right to be. He and Tubbo always tried to just dismiss the topic of their marriage when Tommy brought it up, and more often than not it led to Ranboo and Tommy fighting as soon as they were out of sight from Tubbo. </p><p>Currently, Ranboo was only at the hotel, to begin with, because Tubbo had promised to pick something up from Tommy. However, Michael had come down with a bit of a chill and Tubbo was refusing to leave their boy's side. So he sent Ranboo off to pick the stuff up from Tommy instead. To say Tommy was upset at seeing Ranboo instead of Tubbo was a bit of an understatement, and Ranboo could tell from the moment Tommy opened the door and saw him. </p><p>"I can't control Tubbo, Tommy! He wanted to stay home to take care of Michael! I didn't make him stay home!" Ranboo huffed out. </p><p>"I don't care why he stayed home, Ranboo! I feel like I've seen more of you than him since I got out of that fuckin' prison and I'm sick of it! I don't even like you! He's all I've ever had and I don't even have that anymore because you fucking took him from me!"</p><p>Tommy had finally snapped. Bottled-up emotions pouring out of his mouth before he could stop them. Despite the look of regret that washed over Tommy's face instantly, Ranboo took a step back, waves of hurt swarming his body and mind. Tommy hadn't meant to say that, of course not. Sure, he did feel that way, but that was the conversation he had been trying to have with them for weeks; because he didn't want something like that to slip. </p><p>"Ranboo, I-"</p><p>"M'sorry." Ranboo mumbled and looked to the floor, shuffling his feet around. "I...I'll go. I'll go away. Won't bother you no more." He said softly and slowly stumbled back towards the door. </p><p>Tommy's eyes widened as he quickly shuffled forward. "Ranboo, I didn't mean that. I just got angry, come on man." Tommy said urgently, feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt. Not because he had upset his best friend's husband, no. He felt guilty because he could see the broken look in Ranboo's eyes, and he hated how upset he had made the boy.</p><p>"No, no you don' like me!" Ranboo cried out softly. "Didn' mean to make you mad, jus' wan'ed to be good fowr Tubbo." Ranboo said with a small sniffle, rubbing at his eyes with his fists. </p><p>Tommy stared at Ranboo in confusion before slowly stepping closer, resting a hand on Ranboo's shoulder. He didn't miss the way the boy flinched under his touch, though that was something he could worry about another time. "Ranboo, are you okay? You're acting differently." Tommy said quietly.</p><p>Ranboo stared at Tommy quietly, his lip trembling before he began to cry. Tommy's eyes widened in a panic, and without another moment's thought, Tommy pulled the boy against him. Ranboo's legs went weak as he collapsed against Tommy, letting out small sobs. Tommy held Ranboo up and leaned against the closest wall for support. </p><p>Tommy stood in silence, gently rubbing the taller boy's back and humming softly to him in hopes to calm him. They stood there for a long while, Tommy simply holding the little while Ranboo let his emotions out. When Ranboo finally had calmed, Tommy looked down at the boy, though was careful not to pull away from him and spoke softly. </p><p>"Ranboo, are you okay?" Tommy questioned. </p><p>Ranboo sniffled and gave a few enderman-esque chirps in response. Tommy frowned softly and gently ruffled the little's hair. It's okay. You don't have to talk right now if you don't want. Do you want to go lay down or something? Rest before you have to go back home?" Tommy asked softly, earning a small nod in response. </p><p>Tommy slowly led Ranboo from the wall and led him to the next floor. He allowed Ranboo to lean on him and rely on him for support until they made it to the bed, where he gently laid the boy down. Ranboo let out a soft whine and reached out for Tommy when the boy pulled away entirely. </p><p>Tommy looked at him quizzically and after several moments of stuttering over chirps and words, the boy finally was able to form a sentence. "Snuggle. Don' wan' you ta be mad." He pleaded softly.</p><p>Tommy's expression softened and after a moment, the boy sat next to Ranboo on the bed. Ranboo curled up into Tommy's side and closed his side. As Ranboo's breathing evened out, Tommy sent Tubbo a message about what happened. After being assured Tubbo was on his way, Tommy settled down and rested his eyes as well. Tommy may not entirely understand what was happening with Ranboo, but he did understand that he had caused part of the problem, and he was going to do his damnest to fix it. But that could wait until after their nap.</p><p>And when Tubbo and Michael arrived to the hotel and found Ranboo and Tommy curled up together, he felt his heart swell with hope that maybe, just maybe his friend and husband would finally start getting along. And no one would say anything when they woke up to Tubbo and Michael nuzzled between Ranboo and Tommy fast asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0065"><h2>65. Hospitality Hotel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Karl, Sapnap, and Quackity</p><p>Karl, Sapnap, and Quackity decided to visit the hotel for the first time, only to find Tommy mid-panic attack. Instead of finding Sam, the boys take it upon themselves to take care of the little.</p><p>Warnings: Panic attack</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Karl, Sapnap, and Quackity chattered quietly amongst each other as they made their way towards the ever-growing hotel. Tommy was doing a great job on building his hotel, they wouldn't lie. And even though they knew a lot of the work was being done by Sam, they were truthfully just amazed that Tommy was doing any of the work and not stealing the supplies to do it.</p><p>As the boys approached, each took a moment to stare in awe at the sheer amount of progress Tommy had made. The hotel was tall, each of the fiances having to crane their necks upwards just to see the top. The sign had been upgraded from just a wooden sign in the lawn to a legitimate welcome sign, and the entire outside of the hotel had finished being constructed. The boys glanced between each other, and with a smile, Karl happily led the trio into the building. </p><p>Karl knew he had warned Tommy the previous day they would be coming to visit that morning, so when the boisterous boy wasn't waiting there to greet them, Karl felt concerned. Apparently, his fiances felt the same, because Sapnap was the next to speak. </p><p>"Tommy knew we were coming, right? Shouldn't he be here?" Sapnap questioned, wearing a small frown that indicated his worry.</p><p>Quackity suddenly paused and held a finger up, indicating the others to be quiet. Silence washed over the boys, and after a moment, he looked over to his fiances. "Do you guys hear that?" Quackity asked softly.</p><p>Another wave of silence washed over them, and after a minute of straining to hear what Quackity was talking about, Karl gave the man a panicked look. "Is that crying?" Karl asked worriedly. </p><p>"It's coming from upstairs," Sapnap murmured softly, though his eyebrows were drawn together in mild panic. </p><p>Without saying another word, Quackity quickly made his way to the ladder on the other side of the room. The interior of the hotel was clearly still under construction, but none of them exactly minded, they were there to see the progress, not a final product. However, the only thing they were concerned with now was finding Tommy.</p><p>Climbing up to the top floor of the hotel, Quackity's ears were quickly overwhelmed with the loud sobs that were being drawn out from Tommy. Slowly climbing off the ladder, Quackity slowly scanned around the boy's room before spotting the blonde boy curled up in the far corner of his room with a fluffy red blanket (which vaguely resembled Techno's cape, though Quackity wouldn't mention that to the already upset boy) wrapped tightly around himself. </p><p>As Karl and Sapnap slowly climbed into the room behind him, Quackity was already making his way over to the distressed teen. He knelt down in front of Tommy and gently placed his hand on top of the boy's shoulder, though jerked it back when he felt Tommy flinch violently beneath him. </p><p>"No hurt me." He heard Tommy very vaguely mumble from within the blanket.</p><p>The boy in the blanket was shaking badly. Not from the cold or anything of the sort, but his body was trembling. Quackity could hear uneven, choppy breaths escaping Tommy in desperate bursts through his sobs as the blonde-haired boy clutched onto the fabric encasing him.</p><p>Quackity frowned over so lightly before speaking quietly. "Tommy, Tommy, look up for me," Quackity coaxed softly, slowly getting the boy to look up from his blankets, just enough to see him. "It's me. It's just Quackity. And Karl, and Sapnap. I'm not going to hurt you. Neither will they. We're going to help you, okay?" He said softly, hoping Tommy was grounded enough to process what he was saying. </p><p>It was a long moment of blank staring as Tommy glanced between the three boys. Eventually, his gaze settled back on Quackity, and through his short bursts of breaths, Tommy uttered out to him. "Q?" </p><p>Quackity relaxed and gave a small nod, moving to sit next to the younger boy. "Yeah, it's me, Tommy. I need you to listen to me, okay? Take deep breaths for me. Try to slow yourself down."</p><p>Tommy whined softly and shifted himself to curl into Quackity's side. He sunk down and rested his head on Quackity's lap, and after a long moment, Quackity slowly pieced together what he was doing. Focusing on his own breathing, Quackity slowed his breaths and gave Tommy a consistent breathing pattern to match his own too. He glanced over to his fiances as he wrapped an arm around Tommy, and with the silent invitation, the other two sat around them.</p><p>Karl placed himself on Tommy's other side and began slowly dragging his fingers through his messy hair. Karl let his touches stay gentle, giving the boy something else to focus on other than the thoughts that had been consuming him all morning. Quackity, not wanting to mess up his breathing pattern, wasn't saying much, so Sapnap began talking softly. It wasn't much; Sapnap had learned early on he wasn't the best with emotional situations. However, the soft praises and words of encouragement the older would murmur out softly were enough to help soothe Tommy. </p><p>The younger's breathing slowly evened back out, and his shaking slowly came to a stop. Quackity watched the boy's eyes begin to droop under Karl's gentle touches, and as quietly as he could, Quackity spoke to the boy. "You okay, Tommy? How do you feel?"</p><p>Tommy shifted a bit in Quackity's hold but didn't pull away. He merely shifted enough to rub at his eyes and speak softly. "Dizzy. S'eepy. Head huwts." He whined out softly before burying his face back into Quackity's side.</p><p>The older boys all glanced at each other in mild confusion before Sapnap spoke up. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"</p><p>Tommy whined again and shook his head quickly. "Nu-uh. Too sca'y." Tommy muttered firmly.</p><p>Karl's face suddenly lit up, and he held up a finger, telling his fiances to give him a moment. "Hey Tommy, bub, how old do you think you are right now?" Karl asked softly.</p><p>The moment the question was asked, a look of realization washed over the other's faces, causing Karl to give a silent giggle. Tommy hummed softly for a moment before speaking quietly. "Dunno. Smawl." He responded. </p><p>Quackity hummed softly. "Do you not know at all. Do you have any idea of a range for us, buddy?"</p><p>Tommy gave an unhappy whine before quietly poking a finger up, then putting a second up. After a moment of silence, a pulled the second finger down and shook his head in confusion. </p><p>Karl cooed softly and ran his hand through Tommy's hair again. "Oh bub, you really are small, hm? Do you have any little stuff?" </p><p>Tommy rubbed at his eyes once more before shakily pointing to a small chest tucked under the yellow bed in the corner of the room. With a quiet glance, Sapnap gave a small nod and quickly made his way over to the chest. Opening it up, he could see where the blanket Tommy now had belonged, though he wasn't going to question why that was the only thing Tommy had grabbed. </p><p>After a moment of debate, Sapnap grabbed a soother, a bottle, and what appeared to be a well-loved stuffed cow from the chest before tucking it away. He made his way over and gave the cow to Karl and the soother to Quackity before stating softly. "I'm going to go find the kitchen and get him something to drink. I'll be back in a few minutes."</p><p>As Sapnap left, Quackity gently hummed and nudged Tommy lightly. The boy gave a pitiful whine and glanced up to the older, though quickly perked a bit when he saw the red and white soother he was offering him. Tommy quickly settled again with the soother in his mouth, but quickly had his attention drawn away by Karl.</p><p>"Hey buddy, guess what I got!" Karl said happily, flashing Tommy a small grin.</p><p>Tommy gave a questioning hum and tilted his head a bit as he looked to Karl. Karl giggled a bit before holding up the stuffed cow. Tommy's eyes went wide in joy, a happy gasp leaving his lips from around the soother as he reached out for his stuffy. </p><p>"Henwy!" Tommy cried out excited, hugging the cow close to his chest when Karl handed him over with a small smile. </p><p>It wasn't much longer before Sapnap returned to the room with a warmed bottle of Angel Milk for the little. With a bit of a struggle, the three managed to get the boy, who didn't want to cooperate with walking, into bed and settled down with him. Quackity laid down in the middle with Tommy between his legs, the little using his chest as a pillow. Karl and Sapnap were on each of his sides, and the four of them settled comfortably. </p><p>Karl held Tommy's soother as Sapnap fed Tommy his bottle, and continued to gently pet his hair as they laid together. Quackity held Tommy close and quietly sang out to fill the silence and help ease the boy to sleep.</p><p>Later, they would find out that Tommy had been struggling with his nightmares for quite some time; but with his new caregivers around, Tommy found that sleeping wasn't so hard anymore.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0066"><h2>66. Baby, You're a Firework</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo CG!Techno</p><p>Techno was known to be merciless. That's exactly why Schlatt hired him for the festival's grand finale. But was he really as merciless as he seemed when faced with a regressed, bee-loving boy?</p><p>Warnings: Swearing, panic, near-death experience, trauma</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>People stood around and watched in fear as Schlatt encased Tubbo in a small box on the stage. The boy in question was clearly confused, looking around in a panic as his he attempted to find a way out of the small prison.</p><p>"What's going on here?" Tubbo questioned nervously, looking up to Schlatt. </p><p>Techno watched from a small distance as Schlatt gave Tubbo a small sneer before turning back to the audience. "It really sucks for me to say this right here in front of everybody, I mean it's kind of awkward but Tubbo, Tubbo...I know what you've been up to." Schlatt stated, earning small murmurs of confusion from the audience.</p><p>"What...what have I been up to? What are you talking about?" Tubbo questioned, stuttering over his words as he stared at Schlatt with fearful eyes.</p><p>Schlatt let out a cackle that felt nearly mocking and shot Tubbo a glare as the boy continued to panic about his inability to escape. "What have I been up to? You've been conspiring. With the idiots- with, with the tyrants that we kicked out of this server. That we kicked out of this great country months ago!" Schlatt paused and turned to Quackity before muttering. "Was it months was it weeks? I don't actually remember. Eh, time flies when you're having fun, ya know?"</p><p>Schlatt cleared his throat and turned back to Tubbo with crossed arms. Eh, Tubbo, I don't know if you know this, but treason isn't exactly, isn't exactly a respectable thing around here, ya know? We don't take too kindly to it. I know what you've been doing it all adds up, buddy." He hissed out. "The fucking tunnels, your absence from great events, I mean you walked off in the middle of this one! Don't try to tell me you've done nothing wrong, because everybody knows it. I see it with my own two fucking eyes what you've been doing."</p><p>Techno could see Tubbo stumble back in the small box he was in as Schlatt stared the boy down. Tubbo was clearly afraid, and at a loss of what to do. Techno was growing nervous. Schlatt had hired him to help with a favor, but with the way the even was going, he had a feeling he knew what that favor was. But Tubbo was one of their own. Was he supposed to go through with the favor?</p><p>"I..I uh..." Tubbo stuttered out as he hugged himself tightly.</p><p>Schlatt tsked and shook his head. "Do you know what happens to traitors, Tubbo?"</p><p>Tubbo hesitated for a long moment before squeaking out a soft "No."</p><p>"Nothing good," Schlatt said darkly before turning to the audience, looking directly at Techno who felt his heart drop. "Hey uh, hey Technoblade? You wanna come up here for a second?"</p><p>Techno swallowed thickly and hesitantly made his way onto the stage. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Tommy on top of a roof building in a panic, and Wilbur desperately trying to calm him down, though he couldn't focus on them long before Schlatt began speaking again. </p><p>"Techno, please. Please, if you would. If you would be so kind" He said, nodding to Tubbo who stared at Techno with wide, panicked eyes. </p><p>Techno glanced at Tubbo before looking to Schlatt unsurely. "What...what are you asking, Schlatt?"</p><p>"He's a traitor. Techno, I-I need you to take him out." Schlatt said bluntly, earning gasps and shouts of concern from the audience behind them. </p><p>"What?" Tubbo squeaked out.</p><p>"Like, to dinner?" Techno questioned in an attempt to get out of the situation he wished he had never had to agree to.</p><p>"No, you aren't going to take him out to dinner, bor. You're going to kill him!" Schlatt said harshly, giving Techno a glare that made even the anarchist unsettled as to what would happen if he disobeyed Schlatt's order. </p><p>"Ah, ah, now I get it." Techno said uncomfortably, glancing over to Tubbo who was cowering in the corner of the box. </p><p>Uncertainly, Techno pulled out his firework launcher and aimed it at Tubbo. While Schlatt and Quackity cheered, Techno looked at Tubbo and felt himself weaken. The boy had tears built up in his eyes that clearly weren't going away anytime soon. He had curled in on himself and was starting wordlessly at the older man in front of him. Normally, Techno would brush it off as fear; but after having lived in Pogtopia with the boy for the last month or so, he had learned how to pick up on the signs of Tubbo's regression. After all, Wilbur and Tommy weren't always around when Tubbo came stumbling through the tunnels in a fuzzy headspace.</p><p>Techno's expression softened, and glancing to Schlatt, Techno said softly. "Tubbo, I'm so sorry. I'm being subjected to...to mild amounts of peer pressure, but I promise to make it as painless and as colorful as possible." He stated firmly, ignoring the tears that began falling down the young boy's cheeks. </p><p>Techno aimed the launcher at Tubbo before quickly aiming it downward and shooting. The launcher hit the floor in front of him and fireworks sprung up, blinding those who stood too close and blocking the view of Tubbo's makeshift cell. Slipping out the ax of peace from his belt, he quickly cut open the fence that kept the boy trapped before reaching in. He heard the panic behind him as Schlatt and Quackity attempted to figure out what was happening, though Techno was forcing himself to stay calm for the little. </p><p>Tubbo let out a small sob and reached out for Techno desperately. The older male carefully scooped the boy up and hushed him softly before carrying him away from the scene. Techno ran, and he ran fast. He had no idea when people would be able to see what he had done, but he was certain when they did, Schlatt and Quackity wouldn't be very happy. He wanted to get Tubbo as far away from Manberg as he could, so he began heading back to Pogtopia. When the boy was big again, they could discuss moving on the off chance that Schlatt had discovered where Pogtopia was. But for now, the little would need his stuff, and Techno wasn't going to strip him of that.</p><p>Carefully making his way down the familiar cobblestone stairs, Techno settled on Tubbo's bed, the little sat comfortably in his lap. Tubbo hadn't stopped crying since the festival, but luckily, he was no longer in hysterics. Techno gently bounced the small boy on his lap and rubbed small circles on his back. </p><p>"You okay, kiddo?" Techno asked softly, earning a small whimper in response as the boy shook his head. </p><p>Techno frowned softly and held Tubbo close, reaching over on the bed to grab the bee plushie that sat on the corner of it. "I know, I'm sorry buddy. I had no idea that was going to happen. I'm so sorry I scared you like that. Can you forgive me?" Techno murmured, holding the plush out for Tubbo to take. </p><p>Tubbo quickly snatched up the bee and gave a small nod, looking up to Techno with big, bloodshot eyes. Techno felt awful for having made the little so terrified, but over anything, he felt anger. He swore he was going to kill Schlatt and Quackity for putting the poor boy through something so traumatizing. But for now, he needed to focus on making sure the little felt comfortable. </p><p>"Do you want your soother, kiddo? I think a nap could do you some good, yeah?" Techno offered softly, earning a happy whine from Tubbo. </p><p>Too afraid to leave the boy alone, Techno stood and held the boy on his hip as he made his way to the chest that held all of Tubbo's little gear. He popped it open and dug to the bottom to where all of the soothers sat and looked to Tubbo. "Which one, Kiddo?" </p><p>Tubbo looked them over before pointing to a yellow and white soother with a small bee in the middle. "Bee!" He slurred out.</p><p>Techno smiled softly and grabbed the soother before carefully giving it to the little. The boy sucked at it happily as they made their way back to Tubbo's bed. Techno sat down, propped up against the pillows, and Tubbo laid in his lap again. The boy hugged his stuffy close to his chest and buried his face into Techno's neck. Techno pressed a gentle kiss to Tubbo's forehead as the boy drifted to sleep and closed his own eyes to rest as well.</p><p>The festival would be one they would never forget but for now, all was forgiven amongst the two boys.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0067"><h2>67. Minecraft's Morph Mod Is Very Funny</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Schlatt</p><p>Tommy becomes overwhelmed during a Minecraft mod and just when things couldn't get worse, Schlatt is the one to notice his childlike behavior. Though, perhaps Schlatt isn't as bad as he thought. </p><p>Warnings: Mild anxiety</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn't uncommon for Wilbur to rope someone into one of his foolish bits during a Modded Minecraft video. In fact, it was practically something he should have expected at this point. Of course, Tommy found Wilbur's bits humorous, but there were some days where the older man simply pushed it too far. Today unfortunately became one of those days and there wasn't much Tommy could do about it. </p><p>As per usual, they were hardly ten minutes into the recording session, Charlie and Wilbur had turned into fish and swam off to who knows where. He worked quietly with Phil, and occasionally Schlatt as they made their way into a small village, which they understandably began to loot. That was, however, until Charlie and Wilbur approached them as bees and wouldn't leave them alone. Taking the opportunity to make some content, he hung back with the two auto-tuned bees, along with Schlatt, and played into their silly little bit while Phil scurried off and made them a nether portal. </p><p>Tommy couldn't quite explain why, but the act of Wilbur constantly targeting him with his jokes and punchlines were beginning to get under his skin. He knew Wilbur was just trying to be entertaining, but he just wanted to play the game! He didn't like being repeatedly killed and talked over! It was annoying! Tommy paused before shaking the thought from his head. He helped Schlatt trap the two bee boys into their "cage" and let out a hum as they made their way into the little village house. Tommy finally began to calm himself now that Wilbur and Charlie were out of the picture, and he knew he was being quiet, but he needed to collect himself again. Unfortunately, as soon as he thought he had a grip again, Charlie and Will flew into the house and stung both himself and Schlatt to death, earning a very unmanly whine in response from himself.</p><p>Tommy burrowed his face into his crossed arms on his desk, and while Wilbur just laughed the reaction off, Schlatt fell silent at it. It wasn't normal for Tommy to fall silent during streams or recording sessions, or even whine. Of course, he would complain and whine as any younger brother figure would, but to quite literally whine like toddler mid-tantrum wasn't like Tommy, and though he wouldn't express it outwardly, Schlatt was worried for his friend. </p><p>Schlatt waited until the others flitted elsewhere, probably off to bother Phil, before dragging Tommy into a separate VC. This conversation could always be edited out later anyways. "Tommy?" Schlatt asked softly. </p><p>He waited in silence for a solid minute or so before Tommy finally gave a small hum, that sounded an awful lot like another whine, in response. "You okay? You went quiet on us there. Kinda whined at us too." Schlatt stated, though much to Tommy's surprise, there wasn't any judgment in Schlatt's tone. Just genuine concern from a friend.</p><p>Tommy slowly lifted his head from his arms and rubbed his eyes tiredly, attempting to rid his mind of the fuzziness that bogged his thoughts down. "Yeah," Tommy whispered out, his voice much softer and higher-pitched than he had hoped it would come out. "M'okay. Just got a bit overwhelmed I guess." He mumbled out. </p><p>Schlatt just nodded a bit and softened his demeanor. Tommy's regression really wasn't much of a secret amongst the other members of the SMP. In fact, most everyone knew and embraced Tommy for who he was. Though Schlatt had never actually been around Tommy while the boy was regressed, it didn't take much for the older to piece together that this was precisely what was happening. </p><p>"I see," Schlatt hummed out, leaning back into his chair, clasping his hands together on his torso. "Do you want to hop out of the game? I can text the others that you need a break and we can come back later to finish recording." Schlatt offered softly. </p><p>Tommy hesitantly nodded before realizing Schlatt couldn't see him. "Yeah. Yeah, we can do that." He said before quietly logging out of the game and closing down his recording system. Schlatt was quick to follow the boy's actions, sending the other three a short message that explained the situation before turning his attention back to Tommy. </p><p>"Do you want to move to a private call, Tom? I'm sure you don't want to be all alone right now." Schlatt offered. </p><p>Tommy's brain stuttered for a moment at the use of the nickname. He knew Schlatt knew of his regression, though the older had never been around when he regressed, much less taken care of him. Yet, Schlatt was making it clear to Tommy that he was aware of what was happening, and was assuring him he would stick around anyway. Tommy took a moment before returning to reality and giving a small, happy hum. </p><p>"Mhm! Private call." He confirmed softly, grabbing his phone in preparation. </p><p>He could hear Schlatt give a small chuckle at the eagerness he knew was dripping through his voice, but for once, he didn't feel ashamed or embarrassed at all. "Alright, Tom. Give me just a second." Schlatt stated before leaving the VC, prompting Tommy to do the same.</p><p>The boy quickly jumped onto his bed after leaving the VC and swung his feet happily as he waited for the call. A few moments later, the soft chimes of an incoming discord call rang through his ears, and Tommy picked it up without hesitation. Schlatt was now also on his phone and was walking into what appeared to be his kitchen, and both boys had their facecam on. </p><p>"Sorry for the wait, buddy. Phil and Wilbur wanted to make sure you were okay. Wouldn't believe me when I said you were, and I had to tell them to shush." Schlatt stated lightheartedly, earning a giggle from his younger friend. </p><p>"I's otay! Don' mind waitin'." He stated.</p><p>Schlatt hummed softly, noting the difference in the way he spoke. The boy was more comfortable off-camera while regressed. Either that, or he was more comfortable knowing Schlatt was okay around him while regressed. Either way, Schlatt was glad he had relaxed some. </p><p>"Well, thank you for your patients, buddy," Schlatt stated, propping his phone on the counter so he could still see Tommy, and Tommy could still see him. </p><p>Tommy watched Schlatt move around his kitchen with wide, intrigued eyes before speaking up. "What're you doin'?" He asked curiously, causing Schlatt to glance to Tommy and give a hum. </p><p>"I'm making lunch since we have a break from recording," Schlatt explained, giving Tommy a smile, watching the little perk up. </p><p>"What you making?" He asked, making himself comfortable in bed.</p><p>"Just a quesadilla. Nothing too fancy. I'm too lazy for all that." Schlatt joked a bit, earning another giggle. </p><p>"Big Q like qwuesadilla too!" Tommy exclaimed happily. </p><p>Schlatt gave a small laugh at the poor pronunciation but nodded eagerly along with him. "You're very right, big guy, he does."</p><p>The light banter continued between them as Schlatt finished cooking and at his lunch, and before long, Schlatt caught the boy trying to stifle a yawn. Giving him a soft look, Schlatt paused before speaking. "You tired, big guy? I think a nap would do you some good."</p><p>Tommy's bottom lip jutted out, a small pout forming on his face. "I don't wanna nap." He complained softly, earning a small, amused smile.</p><p>"And why's that, Tom?" Schlatt questioned.</p><p>"Havin' fun wif you," Tommy mumbled, his cheeks heating up in embarrassment.</p><p>Schlatt cooed softly and smiled. "It's alright big guy. How about a compromise?" He offered, instantly catching Tommy's attention. "You take a nap for half an hour or so. I'll stay on the call with you, and when your nap is done, I'll wake you up. After that, we can see how you're feeling."</p><p>Tommy paused and mulled the idea over in his head before giving a small but firm nod. "M'kay. P'omise to stay?" Tommy questioned, laying down in bed with his phone next to him. </p><p>"I promise, big guy. I'm not going anywhere, okay?" Schlatt assured softly. </p><p>A small silence fell over them before he could hear Tommy shuffle around a bit. "Otay. Nini, Schwatt."</p><p>Schlatt felt a warm smile wash over him, and even though Tommy could no longer see him, he was certain the boy could hear it just based on the warmth in his tone. "Goodnight, Tom. Sleep well, buddy."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0068"><h2>68. The Family you Deserve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tommy CG!Techno</p><p>Tommy has been acting awfully bratty towards his brothers, though the rest of them seem to dismiss it as Tommy just being Tommy. However, Techno seems to take notice that he's acting out more than usual, and when he confronts his brother about it, the boy almost instantly slips and confesses he just liked the attention he got when he was acting out - even if it was negative.</p><p>Warnings: Swearing, anxiety, depression (all mild)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy wasn't a bad kid, perse, but he also wasn't the best. Of course, Tommy knew he wasn't the best kid, everyone made that perfectly clear as they played favorites amongst the family, or as people around the SMP yelled at him for even the slightest slipups. It didn't make sense, and it wasn't fair; yet Tommy found himself constantly acting up anyway, knowing full well what the results would be.</p><p>This week, Tommy had truly made life difficult for his family. He couldn't help it! His dad had been singing Wilbur and Techno praises for the smallest things while it felt like nearly everyone forgot he existed. So, of course, he did what any jealous child would do and began wreaking havoc on the small household. At first, it was small things - refusing to eat parts of his dinner, constantly complaining about the temperature of the house, the basics. But when his family began to ignore his antics, the boy began taking more drastic measures. </p><p>First, it started with stealing his brothers' clothes. Wilbur was, of course, upset because his clothes were some of his prized possessions. What could he say, he liked having a good fashion sense. But Techno, Techno was more upset that Tommy had invaded his privacy by going into his room than he was about his clothes being stolen. </p><p>Once Phil had settled that situation and strictly banned Tommy from going into his brothers' rooms, he had to get creative. So he began making the family trip to gather resources miserable. The four of them were walking through the forest, the ground was damp with condensation from the rain that had yet to be absorbed from the previous night's storm. Wilbur talked quietly with Phil, hands tucked into his trench coat as they blindly followed Techno, who nobody doubted knew where he was going. Tommy followed behind his family quietly, his eyes scanning around and taking in his surroundings. Once again, his family took no notice to him, so it wasn't very hard for Tommy to slip away from the group without being caught. </p><p>True, Tommy had no clue where he was - nor where he was going - but that didn't matter. What mattered right now was seeing if his family actually noticed his absence. He doubted they would, they barely acknowledged when he was present anyways. Tommy's fingers dragged aimlessly along the roughly textured bark of the dark oak trees that surrounded him, and before he knew it, Tommy had no idea where he was, or where he had come from.</p><p>---</p><p>Meanwhile, as the other boys continued to trek through the uncomfortably dense forest, Techno took notice of the odd silence coming from his younger brother. It's not like he minded the fact that there was peace for once, but he knew Tommy. And he knew his brother didn't just go quiet, especially not with his recent behavior. </p><p>"We're almost there, guys. How is everyone? Is Tommy okay, he's been pretty quiet." Techno muttered out as he slowed their pace.</p><p>"Yeah yeah, Techno, we're fine. Tommy is-" Wilbur paused mid-sentence and peeked behind them for the first time since the beginning of the trip. "Shit..." Wilbur muttered under his breath.</p><p>Phil quickly looked behind as well, a look of panic washing over his face when he realized his younger had wandered off. Techno glanced behind his shoulder and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Seriously? You two had one job. I navigate, and you two keep an eye on Tommy. How hard can it be?" Techno stated in frustration. </p><p>"Oh shut the fuck up, Techno! How were we supposed to know the little gremlin would run off?" Wilbur seethed out, though the worry in his voice gave away that he was just as panicked as Phil was.</p><p>"What do we do? Tommy has no sense of direction, he'll get eaten alive out there." Phil said with a frown. </p><p>Techno shook his head and reached into his bag, handing Phil a neatly folded map. "Take this, finish the trip. I'll go find Tommy and bring him back home so you guys can gather resources without having to worry." Techno muttered out before walking past them.</p><p>With mild hesitance, Wilbur and Phil watched Techno go before continuing on their path. They trusted the man, and if anyone was going to be able to find Tommy, it would be the human GPS.</p><p>---</p><p>Tommy wasn't sure what his plan was, but legitimately getting lost was not it. He thought he would be able to make his way back home, tell his family off about how bad they are for not keeping track of him and how good he was for getting home alone. However, instead, Tommy found himself stumbling through a forest, holding back tears as he looked for anything that could tell him which direction home was. He didn't need to cry. Big men don't cry, so why did he feel like he could break down sobbing at any moment?</p><p>Tommy heard a rustle of bushes from around him and was quick to snap his gaze around. He couldn't really tell which direction it came from, but it was enough to unsettle the boy and make him want to run. However, before Tommy even had the chance to move his feet, a head of familiar soft pink hair poked through the trees, the man giving a soft huff as his blood-red eyes locked eyes with Tommy's softening blue ones. </p><p>"You really have to go and make everything complicated on me, don't you kid?" Techno huffed out, making his way over to the boy.</p><p>Tommy felt like crying in relief. Someone had found him! Techno had found him, and that meant he would be able to get home! On any other day, he probably would have quipped back with something sassy or some snide remark just to get a rise out of his brother, but he was already so tired and his mind felt so fuzzy. </p><p>Tommy wasn't crying. At least that's what he would tell you if you asked. Yet, the way Techno cupped his brother's cheek and gently wiped away the steadily falling tears with a frown etched on his face would tell another story. </p><p>"Tommy, you okay bud? Why are you crying?" Techno asked in concern. </p><p>Tommy wasn't sure why, but the gentle gestures mixed with the one-on-one attention sent Tommy spiraling. A soft sob escaped the boy as he quickly hid his face in Techno's shoulder - an attempt to save himself from the embarrassment of Techno seeing him cry. Though taken back, and perhaps a bit startled at first, Techno slowly wrapped his arms around the boy and kept him close. </p><p>"Tommy, I can't help if you don't tell me what's happening." Techno coaxed, though he just got choked out words in response. Yet, it was enough for the older to figure out what his brother was trying to say.</p><p>"Tired- lonely- no attention-"</p><p>Techno frowned and tightened his hold on the boy in his arms, quietly shushing him. Tommy let out a soft whimper but tried to settle nonetheless. They stood there in silence for several minutes as Techno allowed Tommy to calm himself and regain control of his breathing before trying to speak to him again. </p><p>"You don't feel like you get any attention?" Techno questioned, causing Tommy to sniffle and nod. </p><p>"Da and Wilby a'ways toge'ver, n' you da's favowite. Nobody like me. Jus' wan'ed e'rybody's attention." Tommy whined out. </p><p>Techno felt guilt wash over him in thick waves as he gently stroked his fingers through his brother's curly blonde hair. "Is that why you've been acting out, Toms? You wanted our attention?" He murmured softly, though was almost afraid to hear the answer.</p><p>Tommy sniffled and gave a nod, clutching Techno's shirt tightly. "It's the only time anybody e'er gives me attention, Techie. Don' know what else ta do. Didn' tink you'd see I runned away today."</p><p>Techno sighed softly and gave a small nod of understanding. "I always notice, Toms. Even if you think I don't, I do. I had a feeling something was bothering you when you started acting up, but I didn't want to say anything." Techno admitted softly. "So how about we go home, and we can do whatever you want today, okay? And when Phil and Wilbur get back home tonight, I'll make sure to talk to both of them about being better." </p><p>Tommy sniffled and gave an eager nod, sheepishly peering up at his older brother. "Can you carry me, Techie? M'tired, n' my legs huwt." He mumbled shyly, almost nervous to receive the older's answer. </p><p>Yet, Techno's expression softened into a rare, but gentle smile as the older gave a nod. "Of course I can, Toms." He assured, lifting the smaller boy into his arms.</p><p>And off they went, Techno carrying his brother, who inevitably fell asleep on the walk back home. Techno kept to his word and played along with Tommy for the entire day, even if he felt silly doing so at times. He wanted to make sure his brother knew he had his undivided attention, and it was a nice change to see Tommy acting kind and compliant as opposed to brash and stubborn. </p><p>When Phil and Wilbur returned home later that night to the sight of Tommy asleep on the couch with his head in Techno's lap, they were rightfully confused. But after a simple, yet grounding conversation with the piglin hybrid, they felt the same pressure of guilt that Techno had experienced just hours prior; and together, the three of them vowed to make sure Tommy had the family he deserved.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0069"><h2>69. For the First Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Quackity CG!Karl and Sapnap</p><p>Quackity was tired of constantly feeling so stressed. So, upon feeling constantly wound up and tired, he discovered age regression. However, while trying it for the first time, Karl and Sapnap came home and found him.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quackity sat curled up in his room with nothing more than a blanket and a coloring book. His life had been chaotic, as of recent - moving in with two people that lived halfway across the country was never particularly an easy thing - but streaming and youtube had been overwhelming him more recently as well. He loved his job, of course, but that didn't mean there weren't times he didn't struggle from burnout; everyone did at some point or another.</p><p> Amongst his research in how to relax and wind down a bit more successfully, Quackity had stumbled upon something called age regression. He had an okay understanding of what it was, and since he had always felt a bit goofy and childish at heart, he figured it could be something worth trying. So the boy waited until his friends had gone out to go shopping before slipping into his room with a goal.</p><p>The boy changed into a pair of fuzzy pajamas before plopping down on his bed. He gripped onto the soft yellow blanket he had laid out and pulled it around himself. He wasn't entirely sure he was doing it right. He didn't quite feel young, per se, but he found himself having trouble focusing on what he was doing. With a hum, Quackity turned on the TV and put on reruns of ICarly. It was one of his favorites after all!</p><p>He relaxed comfortably back against his pillows and allowed his mind to drift. The boy could feel his mind growing fuzzy. Any concept of time or responsibility drifted from his mind as he curled up in the warmth that surrounded him. Before he could stop himself, or fully realize what was happening, the boy had drifted to sleep, catching up on some much-needed sleep. </p><p>When Karl and Sapnap returned home, they were confused by the sudden silence within the house. Normally Quackity would be streaming or cooking - something to occupy his time - but there was nothing. Just a quiet buzzing coming from their friend's room. In concern, the two boys made their way up to Quackity's room. Karl gave a soft knock and after a few moments of silence, Sapnap opened the door and stepped in to assure their friend was okay. However, a wave of confusion washed over them when they spotted their friend.</p><p>Quackity was curled up under his blanket with ICarly playing in the background. The tip of his thumb was wedged between his lips as he slept peacefully. Despite the confusion, Karl cooed softly and slowly made his way over, Sapnap trailing behind him. Karl sat on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on Quackity's shoulder, gently shaking the boy awake. </p><p>"Quackity. Quackity, wake up." Karl said softly, not wanting to startle him awake. </p><p>Quackity's eyes slowly peeled open as he peered up at his friends. He slowly retracted his thumb from his mouth, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. Sapnap at on Karl's other side and spoke softly, soft amounts of concern laced in his voice. "You okay, Quackity? You don't usually take naps."</p><p>Quackity hummed softly and rubbed at his eyes again. "M'okay. Jus' sleepy." Quackity mumbled. </p><p>Karl hummed softly and nodded. "You sure you're okay?" Karl asked softly for confirmation, a genuine concern settling in him for his friend's behavior. </p><p>"M'okay." Quackity said with a frown. "Why you think I'm not?"</p><p>"Because you're acting like a kid," Sapnap said softly, though there was no hostility in it. "We just want to make sure you feel okay."</p><p>Quackity's face heated up in realization and embarrassment. The boy shakily reached to the other side of his bed and gripped his phone. After a moment of silence, the younger shakily handed his phone over to Karl before hiding his face in his blanket. Karl took the phone and silently read over the website Quackity had shown him.</p><p>A look of understanding slowly washed over Karl's face, and after a moment, the older boy passed the phone to Sapnap who scanned over the page as well. Sapnap's expression softened as he gently set the phone down and gave Karl a small nod. Karl gently moved the blanket from Quackity's face and gave a small smile. </p><p>"Why are you hiding from us, Q? Don't be embarrassed. If this is how you want to cope with everything going on, that's okay! Sapnap and I will even help you if you want!"</p><p>Quackity sheepishly peeked up at Karl, a small flush evident on his face. "Weally?" </p><p>Sapnap hummed and nodded. "Of course we will. You're our best friend, we're happy to help you." </p><p>Quackity hummed happily and settled back into his fluffy blanket before peering up at his two friends. "Cuddles?"</p><p>"Yes of course!" Karl cheered softly and almost instantly huddled up to the little's side. "But later we have to make sure we eat lunch, okay?" He stated, earning a giggle and a nod from Quackity.</p><p>Sapnap, though a bit more hesitant at the idea of cuddling, situated himself on Quackity's other side anyways; because when it came down to it, he truly couldn't say no to his friend. The boy's settled down against each other and turned their attention to the TV. Karl held Quackity close while Sapnap absent-mindedly messed with the boy's hair. </p><p>Sure, they would have to have a discussion about all of this later, but for now, they were just going to enjoy each other's company. Because that's what friends do when the other is struggling.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0070"><h2>70. Spaghetti-O's</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Tubbo CG!Ranboo</p><p>If this hasn't been requested yet, maybe do one with Ranboo and Tubbo based on when Tubbo was eating Spaghetti-Os. Phil said "I think Tubbo is just secretly really young in the head" and my mind immediately went "age regressor??"</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not gonna lie, I don't think I've ever seen this clip, so I'm sorry if this is completely inaccurate :D</p><p>Also, go check out my new one-shot book! First chapter out now &gt;.&lt;</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It hadn't meant to be a harmful statement, truly. The boys were just having fun, kicking jokes back and forward with one another as they typically did when they did chill streams. It wasn't like the stream had to be anything spectacular, though they did try to keep it entertaining. So, when Tubbo made it apparently obvious he was eating something mid-stream, it was natural for others to become curious. Curious enough to ask. </p><p>"I'm eating Spaghetti-O's," Tubbo stated matter of factly, shoving another mouthful of food into his mouth. </p><p>Silence washed over the discord call before Phil and Ranboo began to laugh. Not in a harmful manner, just more out of shock. </p><p>"Spaghetti-O's? Man, I don't think I've had those since I was a kid." Ranboo reminisced, hoping to make it clear to Tubbo at that moment that they weren't judging the boy. He knew his friend could become sensitive, and occasionally defensive at times. </p><p>Phil hummed softly in agreement. "Sometimes I think Tubbo is just secretly really young in the head, ya know?" Phil joked softly.</p><p>Though Phil, poor Phil had no ideas the impact that singular statement could have on their dear friend. Feeling almost called out at the moment, Tubbo pouted. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was thankful his facecam wasn't on and that it was just Phil streaming, though the fuzziness pushing its way forward made it hard to recognize what impacts his actions may have at that moment. </p><p>"Well, that's just not very nice, Phil." Tubbo defended, though the half whine in his tone didn't go unnoticed by his close friend who was listening silently in an attempt to gauge the situation. </p><p>Phil gave a small laugh again, and assuming Tubbo was just playing into the bit, continued to push. "Why not? Is it because I'm right?" Phil teased softly.</p><p>The silence that followed the question went over Phil's head as the older man quickly turned his attention to fighting the skeleton that had nearly shot him into a ravine, letting out a small "Oh shoot," as he fought in the game. </p><p>After a few moments of silence, Tubbo finally responded with a soft "No," though the boy's meek demeanor told Ranboo it was about time he stepped in. </p><p>"Oh shoot, hey Phil! Tubbo and I have to go. We have a recording session in a few minutes that we probably shouldn't be late for." Ranboo made up on the spot, hoping Tubbo would just stay quiet and go along. </p><p>Luckily, before Tubbo had the chance to say anything, Phil responded, giving a small nod. "Alright. Thanks for keeping me company, mates. Hope your session goes well."</p><p>Ranboo gave a nod and a hum. "Thank you, Phil. Bye chat!" Ranboo stated before leaving the VC, watching Tubbo's icon do the same just moments later. </p><p>As soon as Ranboo saw Tubbo leave the VC, the tall boy called his friend, waiting not even a second before the call was picked up. "Why'd you make us leave, Boo?" Tubbo whined softly, slumping back in his chair. </p><p>"Because you were slipping, Bee. I didn't want you to be small on Phil's stream!" Ranboo said dramatically, causing the little to smile.</p><p>"M'big boy. I'd been okay!" Tubbo said confidently. "Turn camera on, Boo! Wanna see you!" Tubbo begged softly, causing Ranboo to laugh. </p><p>"Okay, okay, I'll turn my camera on. Just for you." Ranboo cooed out, turning his facecam on so Tubbo could see him. </p><p>"Yay, Boo!" Tubbo cheered softly, absent-mindedly sticking the sleeve of his jumper into his mouth. </p><p>Ranboo hummed softly and nodded, looking the boy over. "How old are you, Bee?" </p><p>Tubbo paused and thought for a long moment before holding up two fingers. Ranboo smiled softly and hummed. "Oh wow, you're very little tonight, aren't you?" Ranboo cooed softly, earning a happy giggle and nod. "Why don't you go get your soother for me? That sleeve can't taste too good, now can it?"</p><p>Tubbo obediently spat the sleeve of his sweater out and shuffled over to his bed. Reaching into the drawer of his nightstand, he pulled out a yellow and white soother, promptly using that instead. Tubbo grabbed his phone and climbed into bed, swinging his feet lightly while Ranboo gave a smile. </p><p>"Good boy, Bee! Have you drank any water today?" Ranboo questioned, wanting to make sure his friend was taking care of himself.</p><p>Much to his joy, Tubbo gave a wide grin and nodded eagerly. "Mhm! I drinked two bottles, Boo! Been good like you told me!" </p><p>Ranboo gasped lightly and gave a big grin. "I'm so proud of you, Bee!"</p><p>Tubbo flushed and gave a sheepish smile. "You is?" </p><p>Ranboo hummed lightly and nodded. "Very!" He said, giving a small chuckle at the yawn Tubbo very clearly tried to hide. "You tired, Bee?"</p><p>Tubbo pouted a bit and shook his head. "Nu-uh."</p><p>Ranboo quirked an eyebrow and hummed. "Oh really? So you don't want me to read you a story while you cuddle Honey?" Ranboo questioned, causing Tubbo to instantly perk.</p><p>"Story?" The boy asked hopefully. </p><p>Ranboo smiled and nodded. "Of course. But you have to get ready for bed first." Ranboo coaxed softly. Despite the upset whine he earned, he watched Tubbo turn his camera off as the boy scurried off to get ready for bed.</p><p>It wasn't but a few minutes later before Tubbo was settled into bed. Ranboo softly red the boy a story of a boy that grew a beanstalk from magic beans, not stopping until his friend had fallen into a comfortable slumber. Ranboo closed the book and leaned back into his chair. He booted up Minecraft to keep himself busy, though refused to leave the call. After all, he always wanted to be there if his friend needed him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0071"><h2>71. Simply No Fun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Ranboo, Tommy, Tubbo CG!Dream Team and SBI</p><p>Tommy being the youngest and are ill and the dream team and SBI are trying to take care of them thank you for replying hope u don't mind</p><p>Warnings: Mentions of vomit, nauseous, panic - this is a sick fic, so do with that what you will</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone knew there was a bug going around the SMP. Of course, they knew, it was flu season after all! It had started with George - the poor boy had almost no immune system and fell sick almost immediately after the Dream Team's most recent manhunt. Dream, being the stubborn man he was, refused to leave his friend's side, which ultimately led to him falling ill as well. Everyone knew when Dream got sick he became clingy, and George being too afraid of getting sick again, threw Sapnap into the mix, who soon got sick from Dream. And so the cycle continued until eventually, Tommy got sick after visiting Sam, which led to Tubbo and Ranboo getting sick after a short visit to check in on their friend. </p><p>Tommy writhed in bed as he clung onto his cow plushy tightly. Sweat caused his baggy shirt to cling to his body uncomfortably as he gave out a pathetic series of coughs. Tears were threatening to fall from his eyes as he squirmed in an attempt to get comfortable. Tommy was miserable. He never thought a sickness could be so bad, yet here he was, unable to sleep, but oh so tired. </p><p>Tommy let out a pitiful whine, and just a few moments later, his bedroom door opened up; a tall, blonde male with emerald green eyes peering in at him. "Hey buddy, you okay?" Dream asked softly, stepping into the room. </p><p>Tommy let out a soft whimper and reached out desperately for the older, shaking his head quickly. Dream's eyes softened as he made his way over to the little. He sat on the bed next to the boy and carefully shift Tommy so he was holding him in his lap. Since Dream had already been sick, he wasn't too concerned about catching it again, which was why he had agreed to help Phil out with the sick littles. </p><p>"It's alright, bug. You'll be better in no time." Dream soothed softly, running his fingers through Tommy's hair. </p><p>Tommy whined softly and buried his face into Dream's shoulder, his tears of discomfort finally beginning to fall as Dream comforted him. Dream gently rocked Tommy as they sat on the bed before asking softly. "How old are you right now, bug?" </p><p>Tommy paused a moment before holding up a single finger. Dream hummed softly in acknowledgment before slowly laying down with the boy. He sent Phil a simple text to explain what was going on with Tommy before settling down with the little.</p><p>In the next room over, Tubbo wasn't really doing much better. The poor boy had been the first to slip and also the first to get sick. He was curled into a tight ball on his bed, clutching his stomach as tears fell down his cheeks in a steady flow. His cries were quiet, but enough for them to burn his throat more than it already did. </p><p>George fled into the kitchen in a panic, looking over Techno, Phil, and Wilbur with panicked eyes, who simply responded with confused looks. "Tubbo threw up, and I don't know what to do! I tried to get him cleaned up, but he won't let me near him anymore." George explained with a frown. </p><p>Techno, Phil, and Wilbur all shared a glance before Wilbur gave a subtle nod. "It's alright, George, I've got him. Thank you for watching him." Wilbur assured before making his way to Tubbo's room. </p><p>"You should probably go check on Ranboo," Phil said softly to Techno, who just nodded in agreement.</p><p>Tubbo let out a small cry of fear when he heard his door being opened and began softly babbling out apologies, clearly not actually knowing who was at the door. "M'sowwy, didn' mean ta make mess. Tried to be good-"</p><p>"Tubbo," Wilbur cut the boy off, his soft voice seeming to soothe the boy into silence. "It's okay, sugar. No one is mad. You're sick." Wilbur said softly as he made his way over. "Now how about we get you out of these dirty clothes and get your bedding changed so you can feel nice and clean, yeah?"</p><p>Tubbo sniffled and nodded a bit, allowing Wilbur to help him stand and change into new pajamas. He wrapped his arms around Wilbur's neck and clung to him tightly as Wilbur lifted him and carried him off to the kitchen where the others remained. Phil gave Tubbo a soft smile when he saw the boy and glanced at Wilbur curiously. </p><p>"Phil, would you mind changing his bedding for me? I would, but he doesn't want me to put him down, and I don't want to upset him." Wilbur admitted softly. </p><p>Phil hummed softly and gave a nod. "Of course, mate," Phil assured before making his way off. </p><p>"What're you doin'?" Tubbo asked Bad curiously, who stood over a pot on the stove. </p><p>"I'm making you boys some soup! It's an old family recipe, it's supposed to help you get better in no time! It worked like a charm for Skeppy!" Bad explained, flashing Tubbo a bright smile.</p><p>In the last room, Ranboo laid in bed, curled up with his head in Sapnap's lap. The older boy was gently playing with his hair, just trying to keep the boy settled. Ranboo was trying to fall asleep. Still regressed, though not as young as the other two, he knew he needed to rest to get better. But it was just so hard to sleep when he felt so uncomfortable! </p><p>Ranboo felt himself squirming a bit, though stopped when his bedroom door opened. Ranboo slowly peeled his eyes open, only to be met with the piercing red eyes of Techno; someone he very much looked up to. </p><p>"Techie." Ranboo whined out softly. </p><p>Techno hummed softly and closed the door behind him, making his way over to the duo. "Hi there, dumpling. How do you feel?" Techno asked softly, sitting in the chair next to the bed. </p><p>"Icky." Ranboo mumbled, scrunching his face unhappily. </p><p>"Oh yeah?" Techno mumbled, earning a nod from the younger. </p><p>"We've been trying to get him to nap for the last hour or so," Sapnap explained softly. "He's uncomfortable. Keeps squirming around."</p><p>Techno hummed softly in understanding and looked to the little. "What's making you so uncomfortable, dumpling?"</p><p>"Can' breath. Tummy feels oopy. Don' like it." Ranboo mumbled out, burying his face in Sapnap's lap.</p><p>Techno nodded in understanding before mumbling out. "Would a story help?"</p><p>Ranboo perked a bit and peeked up at the older male. "Story?"</p><p>Techno nodded and gave a soft smile. "Yep. I know tons of them."</p><p>And so he began telling Ranboo a story as Sapnap's hand continued to play with his hair, lulling the little into sleep. Tommy and Dream had fallen asleep together long ago, and Tubbo was comfortable listening to Wilbur, Bad, and Phil talk as he dozed off in Wilbur's arms. </p><p>Of course, the situation wasn't ideal, but it was manageable. And together, they would make sure to get the littles through this; because everyone knew that being sick was simply no fun.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0072"><h2>72. Obsidian Walls</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Ranboo CG!Eret</p><p>would you please do CG!Eret and maybe little!Ranboo? Idk any plot ideas maybe something around doomsday or the panic room where Eret would find him regressed and comfort him</p><p>Warnings: Panic attack, anxiety, derealization, angst, involuntary regression</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ranboo simply didn't understand. His mind simply couldn't process it all. There was a voice, the voice was too loud, it knew too many things, Ranboo didn't understand how the voice knew the things it did. He'd never told anyone the thoughts he had, never even written them down. How did it know? He hated it, he hated how vulnerable the voice made him feel. The obsidian walls that he once found an odd comfort in now felt cold and shameful. He was scared and alone - a small fuzziness slowly creeping in on him, though Ranboo desperately willed it away.</p><p>The voice could only get to him in this room. He couldn't risk being small while here. He simply couldn't; yet when Ranboo tried to make his way out of the panic room, he found himself unable to stand without crumbling back down to the floor again. </p><p>Ranboo was scared, and he was lonely. He just wanted a hug, someone to tell him he was okay - that he wasn't going crazy like he long suspected he was. Normally people didn't hear voices. Normal people didn't have secret rooms they went to in order to talk to themselves. He was weird. Weird and bad. People wouldn't want him if they knew the truth. Tubbo wouldn't want him anymore, Tommy would hate him, Techno would throw him out, Phil would disown him-</p><p>Ranboo's mind was spinning. His vision was blurred with fresh tears, small black spots splattering around his vision as he struggled to breathe. He could feel his face beginning to go numb as he struggled to inhale enough oxygen, and before he knew it, that small fuzzy feeling had completely consumed him. He had dropped, and he had dropped hard - yet he only felt himself panicking more. </p><p>Choppy breaths were heaved out of the boy as he sat on his knees in the middle of the room. His hands tugged at his fluffy black and white hair. His throat was beginning to burn, and he couldn't see anymore. He just wanted someone to hold him, take him away from here, and tell him he was okay. Yet the thought of someone seeing him like this terrified him.</p><p>Ranboo couldn't tell how long he had been there, any concept of time had long slipped away from him, but it felt like hours that he sat there sobbing desperately to himself. He was in a trance, his thoughts swirling around his head in the worst way, he hadn't even heard someone calling his name. But he certainly felt the hand that was placed on his shoulder, and it terrified him.</p><p>Ranboo jerked away from the hand, his head shooting upward to look at the person that had somehow found his panic room, only to be met with a pair of sunglasses, but a concerned frown as well. </p><p>"Ranboo, are you okay?" Eret asked softly, their voice soft and steady, their calming energy almost instantly relaxing the little in his presence. </p><p>Ranboo choked over his words, and once he found himself unable to actually respond, he simply shook his head rapidly, trying desperately, but failing to steady his breaths. Eret took a brief moment to assess the situation. Ranboo was clearly mid panic attack, though Eret wasn't entirely sure why. The man gave Ranboo a comforting smile before sitting next to the younger. Ranboo hesitated, resisting his temptation to instantly curl up against the older. However, there was absolutely no resistance was Eret pulled the boy against him and held him close.</p><p>"Take deep breaths for me, Ranboo. Breath with me, okay?" They said softly, slowing their own breathing to allow Ranboo to match it. </p><p>Ranboo clutched onto Eret tightly and poorly attempted to match his breathing to the older's. The little was afraid if he didn't instantly do as the older said, they would become frustrated and leave, though Eret showed nothing but patience and Ranboo struggled to control his breathing. The older rubbed gentle circles on Ranboo's back, keeping his own breathing steady for Ranboo to match.</p><p>They sat in silence for close to forty minutes as Ranboo grounded himself again. Soft hiccups and sniffles echoed off the dark walls of the empty room, and when Eret finally broke the silence, his voice was soft and caring, aware of Ranboo's state, and not wanting to startle the boy. </p><p>"Ranboo, can you tell me what happened?" They asked softly. </p><p>Ranboo gave a small sniffle and curled into Eret's chest, hiding his face as he mumbled out a small sentence. "Voice knew too much. Got scawed n' confu'sed. Was awone, didn' wanna be." </p><p>Eret's expression softened as he carefully shifted the boy into their lap, holding him close. Though Eret didn't entirely know what voice Ranboo was talking about, he could tell it clearly affected the boy - enough to force him into a smaller headspace. The clinginess made much more sense to Eret now - though they never would have assumed Ranboo would be a regressor. </p><p>"I'm so sorry, my little boy," Eret cooed out softly, smiling as the boy whined softly in response to the name and gripped Eret tighter. "You should never have to feel scared or alone. But you aren't alone now, right?" </p><p>Ranboo let out another soft whine and nodded quickly, not moving his head from Eret's chest. "C-Cuz mama come for me." He mumbled out softly, causing Eret to practically melt. </p><p>"That's right, little one. Mama will always come for you." She assured softly, planting a soft kiss onto Ranboo's forehead. "Can you tell mama how old you are, darling?" Eret questioned softly. </p><p>Ranboo whimpered softly before shakily holding two fingers up to Eret, almost as though afraid to admit to the older how young he felt. Eret, however, merely cooed softly and smiled. "You've had a very long day, haven't you, my little boy? I think we should go back to my castle so you can take a nice long nap." Eret offered softly. </p><p>Ranboo glanced up at Eret, giving a tired blink before nodding. Eret hummed softly and stood, lifting the little into her arms as she did so. The boy clung to Eret tightly, and together, the two made their way out of the panic room. Eret would remember to question Ranboo about the panic room when he was big again - but for now, he had a very tired little to take care of, and they were going to make sure he was taken care of.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0073"><h2>73. German Keyboard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Little!Niki CG!Wilbur</p><p>Wilbur was preparing for MCC - though he wasn't at his own house. He was visiting Niki! So of course they were bound to goof off and have a little fun when the girl regressed during practice.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ayo, this one is for the lovely human on here who requested more Little!Niki CG!Wilbur. I got you :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Niki sat next to Wilbur as the man sat on a call with Techno, Daniel, and Angel. The team was preparing for the upcoming Minecraft Championship, on a practice world where they could practice the events they were worst at. Techno was explaining to Angel how Acerace worked, while Daniel and Wilbur were practicing their Parkour skills. While the other three seemed to be taking the practice somewhat seriously, Wilbur couldn't find it in himself to be serious. </p><p>Normally, Wilbur would be the serious one. He was never too high energy and was overall a fairly laid-back person. However, with Niki being there, it was a different story. He could tell from the moment they had woken up that morning that Niki was on the verge of slipping. It wasn't hard to tell, really. She had pulled her hair up into a messy bun and was opting to wear overalls over her baggy sweater. Plus, she was being rather clingy. Of course, Wilbur didn't mind. He adored Niki in any way she came! However, naturally, the caregiver in him began feeding into her headspace when he figured out she was on the verge of slipping that morning. </p><p>He kept himself muted within the call unless someone was speaking to him. He was attempting to do silly moves on the parkour course - moves he knew would never work - just to elicit the same amused giggle he got in response every time. He would occasionally tease the younger, or make jokes with her regarding the others, and he could tell that slowly but surely, she was slipping. </p><p>Wilbur was, unfortunately, jolted back into reality when he heard his name being called repeatedly. Wilbur gave Niki a warm smile and held a finger to his lips before unmuting himself. "Yes, yes Techno, I'm here, what is it?" </p><p>"Where have you been dude? You've been muted this whole time, and Daniel says you just keep dying on the parkour course." Techno said, the frown evident in his voice. </p><p>Wilbur cleared his voice and hummed. "Sorry, Techno. I've been muted because Niki is with me right now. I've been talking with her." Wilbur stated, smiling as Niki rested her head against the older's shoulder. </p><p>He hoped Techno understood what he was hinting at. The only people who were aware of Niki's regression besides himself were Phil, Techno, Tommy, Puffy, and Minx. Phil, Techno, and Tommy knew because they were obviously very close with Wilbur. Niki had decided if Wilbur could trust them that much then she could too, and it wouldn't be fair for her to expect him to keep such a big part of his life secret from them. However, Niki had told Minx and Puffy about it herself, and the two often watched over Niki if Wilbur wasn't able to. </p><p>Techno fell silent for a moment before responding softly, his tone allowing Wilbur to know he understood what Wilbur was hinting at. "If you need to leave early, you can, Wilbur. We can practice without the entire group being together."</p><p>Wilbur smiled softly and glanced at Niki who was staring at Wilbur with wide, curious eyes before humming softly. "Yeah, I think I just might do that. Thank you, Techno. I'll talk to you later, alright?"</p><p>Techno hummed a bit in response. "Goodbye, Wil. Tell Niki I said hi."</p><p>"Will do, Techno!" Wilbur stated before leaving the call and exiting the game. </p><p>Wilbur glanced down at Niki who blinked slowly before giving a small smile. "Wha happened?" </p><p>Wilbur smiled and hummed. "Techno said I could leave early. He also said to tell you he said hello." He cooed out softly, causing Niki's face to flush lightly. </p><p>"Techie knows?" She mumbled softly, sitting up slightly and gripping onto Wilbur's arm. </p><p>Wilbur nodded a bit and chuckled at the flushed expression. "Of course, he does, pumpkin. Techno is super smart, and wanted me to leave early so I could spend time with the most special little girl in the world." Wilbur stated with a bright grin, causing Niki to hide her face shyly. </p><p>"M'hung'y, Wilby." She whined out softly, causing Wilbur to pause and swear quietly to himself. They hadn't eaten since one. It was nearly six now.</p><p>"Okay, pumpkin. Why don't we go make some dinner then, yeah? How does that sound?" Wilbur asked softly as he stood, earning a whine from the little who had previously been laying against his arm. </p><p>"Carry me? Pwease?" She asked softly, giving Wilbur a pair of puppy dog eyes he simply couldn't say no to. </p><p>Wilbur smiled softly before gently lifting the smaller girl into his arms, carrying her into the kitchen. "How old are you feeling right now, Princess?" Wilbur asked softly. </p><p>Niki hummed softly in thought before looking up to Wilbur. "M'four." She said firmly as Wilbur set her on a barstool so he could make something for her. </p><p>"Alright then, pumpkin, do you want something specific for dinner?" He asked, wanting to make sure he knew for certain before making something she wouldn't eat. </p><p>However, as he figured, the girl simply shook her head and gave a sheepish smile. Wilbur hummed softly and gave a warm smile. "How about a sandwich? Does that sound good?" Wilbur asked, earning a happy nod from the quiet little.</p><p>Wilbur made quick work on making them both sandwiches - turkey and cheese, as it was Niki's favorite - with a side of barbeque chips. He cut Niki's sandwich in half before setting the plates on the table. Niki quietly munched on the chips as Wilbur filled her sippy cup with some chocolate milk, figuring she had been good enough to earn the little bit of extra sugar. </p><p>The man grabbed a soda for himself before sitting next to the little. They ate their dinner quite contently, with almost no fight from the little girl. Once dinner was done, the two of them settled into Niki's room, with the girl demanding cuddles from her caregiver, who dramatically agreed, "because he was obligated to". </p><p>Tucked under the blankets, snug and comfortable, Wilbur turned the TV on and allowed cartoons to play quietly in the background. Neither of them was truly paying attention; Wilbur was too focused on his little one who was already dozing off to sleep. One of Niki's arms comfortable grasped at Wilbur's shirt, while the other clung to her stuffed fox. </p><p>Things were comfortable and quiet for the night. Just like they were supposed to be.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>